One Last Adventure
by totheendoftheworldortime79
Summary: Post Rise of Skywalker. After visiting Tatooine, Poe and Rey wonder what comes next. Cue a visit to Poe's homeworld of Yavin IV. Will they find what they're looking for?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** Oh my gosh! So I've seen Rise of Skywalker twice now. All I've really been able to think about since I saw it was Poe and Rey. I loved their interactions in the movie and just had to write something! This is a **post Rise of Skywalker** story. **THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR THE** **MOVIE.** If you have not seen the movie, run now. I am treating the movie as it was shown, so we will be dealing with the aftermath of *that* kiss. I know, I know. Bear with me, this is a Damerey story. But I wanted to give the right weight to everything the pair had been through. Right now, I'm thinking 2-3 chapters for this. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Lucasfilm, things would have been very different.

**Chapter 1**

Of all the planets in the galaxy, this was the last place he ever expected to be. Tatooine. The home planet of Luke kriffing Skywalker. Sand stretched ahead of them as far as the eye could see; Poe never expected to see this much sand ever again. Not after Pasaana. Not after Jakku.

He glanced away from the window. Just thinking about that place still made him uneasy. Even now, over a year later, there were still nights he woke up in a cold sweat, the memory of Kylo Ren's invasion of his mind fresh and sharp. It happened less and less these days; he doubted it would ever disappear completely. That didn't mean he was keen to relive it.

Rey saw her companion glance away from the window, his brow knitted in a frown. She resisted the urge to reach out; she could feel Poe's mood change slightly. Not upset exactly, just wary. She wasn't sure why; she was a bit afraid to ask. They were friends, true. Good friends. Indeed, Poe was probably her best friend, aside from Finn. But they frequently drove each other crazy. She didn't understand him sometimes. They could be having a perfectly normal conversation one minute, then be at each other's throats the next. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Indeed, she'd been shocked that he offered her to accompany her on this mission; she'd fully expected to be alone. But the moment BB-8 volunteered, Poe was right there, offering to co-pilot the Falcon. It seemed beneath the General who'd just won the war.

"Are you kidding, Sunshine?" he'd replied with a grin when she questioned him. "It'll be an adventure."

Now, she was wondering if he was having second thoughts. Surely, he had better things to do.

"This shouldn't take long," she murmured, shutting down the engine. She ran quickly through the Falcon's shutdown procedures, not looking at him.

"Take Beebee-Ate," Poe said. "I'll watch the ship." Given the little he knew about her reasons for coming to this place, he assumed she wanted to be alone. However, if he wasn't going, then sending his droid was the next best thing.

Rey nodded. "Okay." She slipped past him, calling for the droid. Poe watched her go, wondering what the hells he'd been thinking, offering to join her. Things had been off between them since Exegol. Granted, their relationship was often prickly, yet this was different. They were both strong willed, didn't hesitate to take chances others wouldn't, and cared deeply about their friends. After everything he'd been through, her abilities should have scared the shit out of him, but the exact opposite was true. From the moment he saw her standing outside the cave on Crait, he'd been fascinated by her. At first, their mutual friendship with Finn was their only connection, but gradually, that changed. She called him difficult; he called her reckless. If he was being honest with himself, half the time he picked a fight just to see the green flecks in her hazel eyes shine. She was one of the few people who didn't take his shit; how could he not want to be around her?

Now that the war was over, he had no idea what would happen, and it terrified him more than he wanted to admit. There were still pockets of First Order sympathizers to be rooted out; there was no real functioning government. Winning the war was simply the first step. There was more to be done, but Poe didn't have the slightest idea how to proceed. Everyone kept looking to him for answers and he just…didn't know.

Maybe that was why he jumped at the chance to follow Rey. He needed a break. Finn was already off planet, seeking answers from the First Order's vast database. Not only answers for himself, but for all the kidnapped children that regime had pressed into service. He'd taken his new friend Jannah with him; Poe suspected there was something going on there, though he hadn't mentioned it.

Chewie had taken Leia's death hard; Poe didn't blame him for needing some time alone. He'd lost nearly everyone he cared about in this war; Lando was looking after him. How did Leia do it? How did she look after all these people and do it with a smile on her face? Poe missed her deeply; she'd been almost a mother to him the last few years. He'd spent the last year regaining her trust after what happened on the Raddus; it floored him that she'd made _him_ acting General. He still didn't feel ready and the war was already over!

Poe rose from his seat; he needed a change of scenery. The Falcon was an old bird; he was sure _something_ needed to be fixed. His instincts were right on the money; a few of the couplings in the lower gun turret were fried. He climbed down, hydrospanner between his teeth, and pried off the access panel. He only paused long enough to drop a pair of goggles over his eyes; he didn't need another lecture about taking care of himself from their resident Jedi.

_Poe ducked into his room, yanking down the zipper of his flight suit. He winced as he eased the sling off his arm and shrugged out of the sleeve. His arm still hurt like a bitch from getting shot; rattling around in an X-wing hadn't helped. He was pretty sure he tore something in his shoulder when was trying to get his ship back under control during the battle, but he'd had worse. He'd given orders that the most severely injured be given priority by the med staff; he was fine with waiting his turn._

_He sat heavily on his bunk, running his good hand through his hair. He was exhausted. Bone tired in a way he'd never really experienced. It was over. It felt too good to be true. All the toil and pain and loss. It was finally over! And somehow, he'd survived. Poe leaned back against the durasteel headboard, a laugh caught in his throat. He survived! He half expected this was a dream, or a hallucination. He'd been so sure that going to Exegol was a suicide mission, not that he'd ever admit it. The odds were so long, almost impossible, yet here they were. He was alive, his dearest friends were alive._

_What had he done to get so lucky?_

_A soft knock got his attention. He'd forgotten to shut the door! Rey stood in the open space, her head cocked to the side and a frown on her lips. "Poe? Are you…okay? I heard…"_

_Poe hurried to straighten up, which jostled his injured shoulder. He tried to smother his groan, but he could tell by the look on her face that he wasn't successful. "I'm good, Sunshine," he muttered, half hoping she would go away, half hoping she wouldn't. He didn't want her to see him like this; he was terrible at hiding his emotions from her. "Just a scratch."_

_Rey's frown deepened. She still had some blood along her hairline; her usually tightly bound hair fell in tendrils around her face. Poe thought she'd never been more beautiful._

_It was _insane._ He couldn't have a crush on her. She was a Jedi, for one. Younger than him. They fought like children half the time! It made no sense. So what if his heart thudded in his chest every time she challenged him? So what if he told stupid jokes just to see her smile? It didn't mean anything. They were friends. That was it. _

Get a grip, Dameron,_ he thought as she entered the room uninvited. "Seriously, Rey, I'm fine. I've had worse."_

"_You don't look fine." She narrowed her eyes at him, her hands resting on slender hips. "You look like shit."_

"_Thanks for that," he said dryly. "You really know how to stroke a guy's ego, Jedi."_

_She rolled her eyed at him but stepped closer anyway. "Don't you have your old…friend for that?" she shot back._

_What? It took Poe a second to realize who she meant. "Zorii?" He laughed. "Nah, we were never…I mean…" Kriff, what did he mean? And why was she asking? Her hazel eyes stared at him intently; it was unnerving. "I was young," he said lamely. "When I first knew her. Younger than you are now, actually." _Great job_, he scolded himself. _Remind her just how much older you are! Really smooth, Dameron.

"_So?"_

"_What do you mean, so? You asked!"_

"_And you didn't answer!" she countered, her cheeks heating. What was that about?_

"_There's nothing to say!" he replied, with more heat than he intended. "I had a stupid crush and she shot me down. Repeatedly. Go ahead, Jedi. Laugh."_

_Rey's reaction was nothing like he expected. She didn't laugh. She didn't even smirk. Instead, her smile warmed him all the way to his toes. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, Poe."_

_He chuckled. "Don't let it get around. I've got a reputation, apparently." _

"_Your secret is safe with me." She looked him over critically, her gaze settling on his left arm. "How bad is that? Be honest."_

"_Bad enough," he said begrudgingly. "Got shot on the Star Destroyer. I think I wrenched something during the battle. It's not bleeding anymore, so I'll live."_

_Her face softened. She was genuinely concerned about him. Gingerly, she reached for the makeshift bandage on his arm. "May I?" _

_Poe nodded. He remained as still as he could while she examined his wound. It didn't hurt that much anymore, but that might have been the adrenaline talking. Rey deftly unwound the fabric—a torn piece of his scarf—and circled the affected skin with her fingertips. The emotion that flickered in her hazel eyes was unfathomable. "Remember when we were in the cave?"_

_Poe swallowed. "Um, yeah?" Their eyes locked and suddenly he caught her meaning. The snake. She healed it with the Force. He'd never seen anything like it, nor anything like _her._ "So, you're saying wanna…?"_

_She nodded. "If that's okay?"_

"_I'm certainly not going to say no to a beautiful woman touching me," he quipped. Almost instantly, he cringed. "Sorry, force of habit."_

_Rey's cheeks grew even pinker, but she said nothing. Instead, she laid her hand delicately over his wound and closed her eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she focused, mesmerized by her concern for his well-being. She seemed like she wanted to punch him half the time, yet here she was using her extraordinary power to make him feel better. It was such a strange sensation; he could feel the skin knitting itself back together. Warmth and peace flowed from her to him; all his little aches and pains gradually disappeared._

_Poe couldn't help himself; before she could open her eyes, he laid his right hand over hers, holding her in place. "Thank you, Rey," he said softly, hoping she could feel his sincerity._

_Her eyes popped open; she swallowed. She didn't fight him as he tightened his fingers around hers; her eyes flickered from their joined hands and his eyes. They'd held hands only once before, but that was much different. Finn was always their buffer, always stepping in before things got too out of hand. Poe hadn't realized how significant that was until now as the air seemed to crackle around them._

_Rey looked away abruptly and stood. "You're welcome," she said briskly. She looked like she wanted to say something else, then thought better of it. Before he could question her, she was gone._

Poe sighed as he yanked out the ruined coupling. Something happened between them that night, he could feel it. Something changed. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he wanted to explore it. It seemed however, that Rey hadn't felt the same. When he went to find her the next morning, Connix informed him that she'd already gone. She took Red 5 and disappeared. He only found out later from Finn that she'd gone in search of a new kyber crystal so she could construct a lightsaber of her own.

Part of him wondered if she was ever coming back.

When Rey did return, things were different. They still argued, but neither of their hearts were in it. With Rey as the last of her kind, she carried a weight that Poe could only imagine. Did she rebuild the Order? Could she? Poe was certain there were others like her out there—including Finn. Poe _finally_ got that morsel out of his friend. When Rey left, Finn spilled the beans. He'd told Rey while Poe was in a meeting with representatives from a few of the Core systems, attempting to figure out the best way to clean up the mess. Poe ground his teeth at missing it, wondering why the hells Finn felt like Poe wouldn't want to know something like that. Did he think that poorly of him?

Poe knew he was jealous. It was just one more thing that Finn and Rey shared that he was left out of. It bothered him more than he wanted to admit. They were his best friends, but already he could feel them both slipping away.

And that was the real reason he'd offered to accompany Rey on this mission. At the end of the day, he didn't want to lose her.

He heard the distinctive sound of BB-8 rolling up the gangway of the Falcon. Poe shoved the hydrospanner back into his mouth so he could climb the ladder. His hands were covered in oil and grease; he hurried over to the fresher to clean up. He hadn't expected her back so soon.

"Poe?"

"Crew quarters!" he yelled. BB-8 must have known where he was; his droid came rolling into the room just as he stepped out. "Hey buddy." Poe knelt down, brushing sand off his shell. "You're gonna need an oil bath."

"He's perfectly fine." Rey stood in the doorway, her expression defiant.

"I hardly need to tell you that sand is corrosive," Poe shot back, standing up.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she growled, hands on her hips. "You practically _demanded_ he go with me!"

"Because you obviously wanted to be alone! I didn't know you would be traveling halfway across this godsforsaken planet!" He didn't even know why they were yelling at each other. BB-8 was fine.

"It wasn't halfway across anything!"

"So, you do want to be alone," he muttered, pushing past her. "Typical."

Rey frowned, confused. How did he jump to that conclusion? Annoyed, she grabbed his arm before he could take another step. "Poe, what is the matter with you? You've been…off ever since Exegol."

"Me? I've been off? I'm not the one who ran away, Sunshine!"

"I didn't…I needed a lightsaber, Poe. My _own_. I can't do this by living in the past!"

"Do what?"

"I don't know!" she cried. She stepped away, wringing her hands in frustration. "I don't know what comes next! I was so focused on ending the war, on finding my family. I didn't think there would be an after."

Poe closed the gap between them, gently resting his hand on her shoulder. "You didn't need to look for anything, sweetheart. Your family was here all the time. Finn and Rose and Chewie and…me. If you'd have us, that is."

She looked so hopeful, yet something else lingered in her eyes that he couldn't put his finger on. "You've never called me that before," she observed.

He shrugged. "Well, you hardly let me get a word in edgewise sometimes, Jedi."

"Only when you're being stubborn. Which is always."

"Hey!"

She smiled, the first genuine smile he'd seen from her in days. It lit up her whole face. "Got a problem with the truth, General?"

Poe shook his head. "Yeah, I don't feel much like a general."

Unexpectedly, she laid her hand on his arm. "She's proud of you, Poe."

He blinked at her, stunned. "What did you say?"

"Leia. She's proud of you, of all us."

"H-h-how do you know that?"

Rey glanced away; she hadn't expected the emotion in his voice. Sometimes she forgot that she wasn't the only one who loved Leia like a mother. "I can feel it. She's one with the Force, Poe. She's at peace. She's with Luke." _And Ben,_ she thought. Rey didn't think it was prudent to mention that to Poe, however. She hadn't told anyone what really happened on Exegol; she didn't know if she could even explain it to herself. She was still trying to untangle her feelings; she wasn't sure what was real and what was the product of the Dyad.

All she was sure of was that if she told Poe that she kissed the man who'd tortured him, Poe would never speak to her again. Right now, she really needed someone who cared about her in her life, even if that person frequently drove her crazy.

Tears stung his eyes, but Poe blinked them away. "That's good. That's really good, Rey. She deserves to be happy." _So do you, _he thought. They all did, but Rey more than most. She'd suffered so much; he wanted to be the person who made her smile and laugh, crazy as it was. It may never happen, but he was selfish enough to want just a bit more time with her. He had a flash of inspiration. "There's someplace I wanna take you."

She arched a brow, confused. "Where? Why?"

"Just…because. Do I need a reason?"

"Are you messing with me again?"

Poe looked affronted. "Not messing. I don't want to fight anymore, Sunshine. I wanna show you one of the most special places in the whole galaxy before we figure out what the hells we're supposed to do now."

She still looked skeptical, but he willed her to believe him. "Alright," she agreed.

"You realize this means are gonna have to let me do the flying, right?"

"No way!"

"It's not an adventure if you know where we're going!"

"The last time I let you fly my ship, she wound up on fire!"

"That was one time!"

"Before that, you ruined the exhaust system!"

"That wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know that gas was toxic?"

"You would have if you actually paid attention to the briefing!" she cried, her jaw set stubbornly. "You can't just do whatever you want! People depend on you, flyboy!"

Poe blinked. She'd never called him that before. She'd never used a nickname for him, period. Normally, he hated that moniker, but coming from her? It wasn't so bad. "By people, do you mean you?"

She threw up her hands. "You're impossible. You _know_ what I meant. The Resistance. All of us, you arrogant ass."

"Not the Resistance anymore," he pointed out with a grin. "We won."

She ignored him. "I'm still not letting you fly the Falcon." She crossed her arms over her chest, determined not to give in.

"Come on, Sunshine. Just one more time. I promise I'll never ask to fly the Falcon again. Let me do this one thing for you."

Rey sighed. She hated when he did that. He could be charming; she thought that the very first time she met him. He seemed to know who she was without being told; she'd been flattered. It wasn't until later that she realized how annoying he could be! He seemed to delight in needling her, just because he could. He was right about one thing. She, too, was tired of fighting. She was tired of the constant push and pull between them. It was as much exhausting as it was exhilarating.

"Fine," she conceded. _"One_ time."

Poe let out a pleased shout, beaming at her. "You won't regret it!" To her shock, he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her toward the cockpit. He was still smiling as he slipped into the left seat, flipping switches and toggles like he owned the ship. Rey tried to be put out—she'd come to think of the Falcon as home—but even she had to admit Poe was adorable like this. His enthusiasm was almost childlike; he kept stealing glances her away.

The Falcon lifted off, sand swirling under the old freighter. Poe pulled back on the stick; it only took a minute or so for them to break atmo. Rey flipped a few switches on her side of the console as Poe made the calculations for hyperspace. "Not even a hint?" she asked innocently.

Poe laughed. "You're not getting it out of me that easily, sweetheart. And don't even think about using the Force."

Rey opened her mouth, then promptly closed it. She knew all about Poe's torture, of course she did. It was something they had in common, after all. "Poe, you know I wouldn't…you do, right? I would never do that to you."

His smile was surprisingly sweet. "Yeah, I know. I trust you, Rey."

Relief bloomed in her chest. She never wanted those she cared about to be afraid of her. She didn't like keeping secrets from them, but until she could sort things out for herself, she didn't feel comfortable talking about it. She and Poe seemed to be reaching some sort of truce; it would be shattered by the truth, she was sure of it. His feelings on Kylo Ren were well known and not without good reason. He'd suffered at Kylo's hands. People he cared about were killed. Just because Ben Solo had come back to the light didn't absolve him from all the terrible things he'd done.

She _knew_ that, and yet…she'd kissed him. Why? She couldn't explain it even to herself. Gratitude? He had just brought her back to life; she felt it. She was dead. Then she wasn't. Ben risked everything to come to her aid against her…grandfather. Rey glanced down at her hands; it was still hard to believe that she was related to the most hated man in the galaxy. The vision she had on the Death Star, the one of her as _Empress Palpatine_…gods, that had almost come true. If Ben hadn't returned when he did…

She'd only agreed to save her friends. Her true family. She could feel them up there, Finn, Rose, Chewie…Poe. They were going to die; she could feel it. If she could save them, then she would, no matter the cost to herself. Ben's arrival changed everything. He saved her, in more ways than one.

Even that didn't change anything. It wasn't like Ben Solo and Kylo Ren were two distinct entities. They were the same. When he passed into the Force, she'd felt…glad? Not that he'd given his life for hers, but that he'd finally found peace. She felt that when she kissed him. His conflict was resolved. For his sake, she was happy for him, but it didn't magically undo all the terrible atrocities he'd committed. Against Rey. His father. His mother. People Rey loved. Innocents.

She tried to look at it logically, but she couldn't figure it out. She cared about Ben, not the monster Kylo Ren. When he showed her what happened with Luke, she sympathized with him. She realized now that the vision wasn't the whole truth; it was just another manipulation. He manipulated her right up until those final moments in the wreckage of the Death Star! Palpatine called them a Dyad, two halves of a whole. That was a disturbing thought.

The only thing she was sure about was that she didn't _feel_ sad. If she (gulp) had _loved_ Ben, she should feel sad. She cared, yes, but because she empathized with his conflict. It was the same conflict she felt sometimes. When they connected in the Force, she thought he was the only person who _could_ understand what she was going through.

But was he? She glanced at the man beside her. She'd learned things about Poe recently that she would never have expected. He'd fallen in with some shady characters at a young age. How young, he hadn't said. A teenager, if she had to guess. He'd done things he wasn't proud of; it was why he hadn't wanted to take them to Kijimi. He didn't want his friends to think less of him for the man he used to be. She wished she knew what changed his mind, how he got involved with the Resistance. She'd never even asked; it felt like an oversight. There was much she didn't know about him; she found that she _wanted_ to know.

He wasn't so bad to have around when he wasn't being a nerfherder.

Poe caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Rey was…smirking? She was definitely glancing in his direction, which made him a little self-conscious. Did he have grease on his face? He knew he should have been more careful with those couplings!

"Is something funny?" he asked at last, unable to stand the silence.

"Why would something be funny?"

"I don't know." A pause. "There's nothing on my face, right?"

Rey laughed. "No. There's nothing on your face. Why would you think that? What were you doing while I was gone?"

"I was trying to fix a few fried couplings in the gun turret, if you must know."

Rey blinked. She knew Poe was a fair mechanic in his own right; most pilots were because mechanics were scarce. Yet she never expected him to help out…just because. "Oh. Well, thanks." Now that he'd made a fuss, she found herself looking at his face. Really looking. He was certainly handsome; she'd noticed that straightaway. Dark messy curls, dark eyes filled with mirth and mischief. His smile was the feature she liked best; it had the power to irk her and thrill her at the same time. Almost everywhere she went, she heard whispers. It seemed half the Resistance had a crush on the dashing pilot.

Unbidden, her mind went to that moment they had in his room. She caught him disappearing out of the corner of her eye during the celebrations; something made her follow him. They bickered—naturally—but once she realized how badly he was injured, she wanted to help. What was the point of the power she had if she didn't use it? What she didn't anticipate was his reaction. Did he always look at her like that? Like she was the center of the galaxy? His hand on hers was too much; her emotions were jumbled and confused. It was too soon. She practically bolted, like a frightened womp rat.

Not wanting to unpack all that, she did the only other thing she could. She ran. Poe wasn't wrong about that. She sought refuge in the desire for a saber of her own. The twins' sabers carried too many memories; she wanted to start fresh, unburdened by the past.

She was shocked when he offered to accompany her to Tatooine; why would he do that? Why did he want to take her to this mysterious place? Surely, he had more important things to do. He was the leader of the Resistance now, chosen by Leia specifically.

"It'll be a little while before we get there," Poe said, leaning back in his chair. "If you wanted to take a nap or something."

"I'm not sleepy."

"Suit yourself." He propped his boots up on the console and leaned back, his eyes falling shut.

"Really?"

"What?"

"You can't sleep in here!"

"Why not? It's unlikely we'll run into trouble, but one of us should be here if we do. It wouldn't be the first time I fell asleep in a cockpit."

"It's a wonder you survived this long," she snarked.

"Not for lack of trying, sweetheart."

She blinked. "That's not funny, Poe." They'd lost too many already; she didn't want to lose him too, no matter how infuriating he could be.

"Nice to know you care."

She huffed in annoyance. "Can you take anything seriously? Of course, I care! You and Finn are my best friends!"

"And yet there are some things that you two try to keep from me," he accused. "Doesn't sound like friendship to me." Finn's words from Kef Bir echoed in his head. That he _couldn't_ understand what Rey was facing, the darkness inside. Just because he didn't feel the Force the way they did. It hurt, but they'd had bigger problems. Now it felt like a wedge trying to drive them apart.

Rey frowned. "What? I don't understand."

"Finn. He's…like you. With the Force and all that. And I'm…not. I'm just a guy who happens to be really good at flying things."

The concern on her face surprised him. "Does it bother you that much?"

Poe sighed. "I don't know if bother is the word I would use." He didn't want to spoil his surprise, so he evaded. "I wouldn't change either of you. I'm glad you're not alone, Rey. You shouldn't ever be alone again."

The conviction and ache in his voice made her stomach flip flop. Instinctively, she reached out, taking his hand in hers. "I'm not alone. Not with you. Family, remember?"

He turned his hand over, so they were palm to palm. His fingers threaded with hers and he squeezed gently. After this little side trip, everything would change, he knew that. One way or another. Until then, he was going to savor every moment he got with extraordinary woman beside him. "Family."

"What is this place?" Rey asked, her hazel eyes wide with wonder. Until a year ago, she'd never seen _green _before. Takadona was her introduction to the wider galaxy. Since then, she'd been on several similar planets. On each one she was obsessed with things that grew; it was all so different from Jakku.

Poe grinned. "This, Sunshine, is Yavin IV. Welcome home."

"Home?"

"This is where I grew up."

"This is your homeworld?"

"Yep."

"It's beautiful." She couldn't stop staring as Poe brought them in; the landing pad was barely big enough for the old freighter. It hadn't really been designed for such a large craft, but they fit. Barely. Rey wasn't paying much attention; Poe smiled to himself as he completed the shutdown procedures. He was well aware of her fascination with nature; Yavin IV was perfect for her. Unlike some of the other planets they'd visited, Yavin was a jungle, with more wildlife and fauna than one could imagine. He was excited to share it with her.

BB-8 rolled into the cockpit, beeping excitedly. "Yeah, buddy. We're home." The droid beeped again. "Yeah, I bet he will be." Poe hadn't sent word ahead; his father had no idea they were coming.

"Who will be what?" Rey asked.

Poe rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous gesture. "Uh, my dad. This is our farm."

"You grew up on a farm?"

"Yeah?" He wasn't sure why he was posing it as a question; her eyes were huge, trying to take it all in.

"Why would you ever want to leave this place?"

He hadn't expected that question. "It's, um, a long story. Boring, really," he dodged. She looked at him skeptically, but he ignored her gaze. "Come on. I'm sure Papa heard us land." He got up, not waiting for her to follow. She did though, with their droid on her heels. As the Falcon's gangway lowered, he spotted booted feet hurrying toward the ship. Poe practically ran down, meeting his father only a few steps away. They didn't even pause to take each other in, the Dameron men hugging fiercely.

"I can't believe it," Kes murmured into Poe's neck. "I can't believe it."

Rey stood by awkwardly; she couldn't shake the feeling that she was intruding on a private moment. It was clear Poe and his father were close; she could sense their joy at being reunited. How long had it been? She knew Poe had been in the New Republic fleet before he joined the Resistance, but she got the sense it had been a long time since father and son had seen each other.

BB-8 nudged her leg, expressing his joy at being back. She smiled. "Yes, Beebee, it's a beautiful place."

Kes raised his head, surprised at his son's companion. He held Poe at arm's length, nodding at Rey. "And who's this, mijo?"

Poe flushed. He released his dad and stepped to the side, gesturing to Rey. "Papa, I'd like you to meet my friend R…"

Rey cut him off, extending her hand. "Rey Skywalker," she finished, smiling hopefully. Now that she got a better look, she could see how much Poe favored his father. The elder Dameron was grayer, slightly taller, but with the same smile. He exuded warmth and friendliness, just like his son.

Poe's brows shot up in surprise as he watched his father pull Rey into a hug. She was stiff for a moment, clearly surprised, but she relaxed, hugging him back. Skywalker? Where had that come from? It certainly wasn't _bad_; Poe thought it suited her. She had saved the galaxy, after all. Had she discovered her family? Had she gotten the answers she so desperately wanted? Poe burned with curiosity, but he didn't want to pry. He hoped she could confide in him when she was ready.

"Skywalker, huh?" Kes said. "Knew a Skywalker, many years ago."

"My master," Rey confirmed, stepping back. "Well, for a little while." More like two days, but who was counting?

"My parents were in the Rebellion," Poe supplied, noticing Rey's confusion. "It's why they settled here."

"You have a beautiful home," Rey said to their host. "Sorry about just dropping in. Poe insisted on it being a surprise."

Kes glanced at his son, a question in his eyes. Poe glanced away; he was sure his father saw right through him. "That sounds like him."

Poe stepped forward. "We won, Papa. It's over."

Kes rested his hands on his son's shoulders. While he supported Poe's choices, he couldn't stop the lingering fear that he'd never see him again. "I'm so proud of you, mijo."

Poe's ears heated in embarrassment. "Papa…"

Kes chuckled. "Come on. You two can tell me all about your adventures over some Corellian ale."

Rey followed the Damerons toward the house. It looked like a home should, in her opinion. Warm and inviting with plenty of windows. They settled in the kitchen around a roughly hewn wooden table; Kes poured them all a drink. Rey mostly stayed quiet, letting Poe tell his stories. Kes seemed to sense her reluctance to talk; he didn't press her for details when she answered questions vaguely. Not so for Poe. She could _feel_ his curiosity, though not in a malicious way. He was curious because he was her friend. Part of her wanted to tell him—wanted to tell _someone_—but given his history, she knew he wouldn't understand. She didn't want to lose his friendship. She didn't want him to look at her differently.

"So, how long are you staying? I imagine you have some pretty heavy responsibilities…General," Kes said, still shaking his head in disbelief. "My son, a general."

"Hey!" Poe cried. "I think I did alright."

Kes laughed. "I know you did, mijo. You're still here, aren't you?"

Poe decided to change the subject by answering his father's question. "I'll have to holo the base, but I think we can spare a few days. Rey?"

She still wasn't sure _why_ Poe wanted to bring her here but leaving meant trying to figure the next steps. She wasn't ready for that. She loved exploring new places though. "Sure."

His face lit up in the smile she secretly loved best. "Fantastic! Papa, do we still have that spare room?"

"I can sleep on the Falcon," Rey said quickly. "It's fine."

"Nonsense, dear," Kes said. "You're my guest. Guests don't sleep on their ships. Here, I'll take you."

Poe watched as his father and Rey disappeared down the hallway. He couldn't help but feel a little put out. He's been looking forward to giving Rey the tour of his childhood home. He should have known she'd have his dad wrapped around her finger without even trying. She just drew people to her. He could check on her later. He hadn't been kidding about contacting the base. They weren't supposed to be gone that long.

With a sigh, he reached for his holo, wondering just how badly Connix would chew his ass for this.

* * *

Rey woke early the next morning, stretching her arms over her head. Kes had been generous with his time and resources; she found herself becoming very fond of him. The bed was probably the most comfortable she'd ever experienced; the room was cozy. A peak out the window told her just how early it was; it was still mostly dark. But she was used to waking with the sun. This was a sun on a whole new world!

Inspired, she got out of bed as softly as she could. Poe's room was just down the hall; she didn't want to wake anyone. She changed out of her sleep clothes, forgoing the wraps and hood. A tunic and leggings would be good enough to watch the sunrise, surely. After tugging on her boots, she gingerly opened the door, tiptoeing from the room and down the hall. She paused outside Poe's door, thinking. He'd been nothing but nice since their argument on the Falcon; she wasn't sure what to make if it. Without that familiar combativeness, she was unsure how to proceed. Best to let him sleep.

Decision made, she headed down to the first floor. She passed BB-8, locked in his charging station. Everything was quiet; it seemed she was the first one awake. This was one of her favorite times of day, the quiet just before dawn. It felt like anything was possible; there were no expectations. She stepped out behind the house, drinking in the relative quiet. She could hear the faint sounds of the jungle around them; Poe promised to show her some of Yavin's native species before they left.

It was so peaceful; her heart ached. Here there was no Resistance, no First Order, no war, no one demanded anything from her. She could just _be._ Her past meant nothing here, not if she didn't give it a voice. She could start over as Rey Skywalker, Jedi Knight. Granted, she was still working out what being a Jedi Knight meant. The books she stole from Luke weren't very helpful. Leia told her the Order had become corrupt in the final years of the Republic; Luke had tried to end the Jedi completely. Neither seemed to be a very good example of what to do. She was starting from scratch; she would have to find her own way.

She just hoped she didn't fail.

Poe jerked awake, twisted in the blanket. He scrubbed his hand over his face as he tried to untangle himself. Why was he awake? What time was it? He glanced at the table near by; 0534 shined on his chrono. "Kriffing hell," he groaned. He heard something shuffling outside. What was that? Why would anybody be awake at this hour? After Exegol, he felt like he could sleep for a standard week, not that he got the chance. This was his first night of uninterrupted sleep in…a while. Too long. He wanted to go back to sleep, but there was a rapping on his door.

"Hold on, I'm comin'," he growled. BB-8 was on the other side, beeping rapidly. "Woah, slow down, buddy. Rey's what?" The droid explained again, slower this time. Rey was outside. At this hour? Why? Well, he would be a very poor host if he didn't check on her. First, he needed some caf. He paused long enough to yank on his boots, then he headed for the kitchen. It took him about five minutes to brew two cups, black for him, milk and sugar for her. After living off rations for most of her life, his Jedi had developed a bit of a sweet tooth.

It was a bit of a balancing act to open the door while carrying two cups, but he managed it. Rey stood in the middle of the open grass, staring into the distance. "Sunshine?"

She turned, frowning. "What are you doing up?"

"Beebee-Ate seems to think I was being a bad host," he observed, handing her the steaming cup. "Caf?"

"Thanks." She wrapped her hands carefully around the cup; it wasn't scalding much to her surprise. She took a sip; it was perfect. "You remembered."

"A grumpy Jedi is not something I ever want to face," he said dryly. He stole a glance at her; this was the most…unbound he'd ever seen her. Her dark hair was loose, her Jedi wraps nowhere to be seen. Her tunic and leggings clung to her lithe form; Poe swallowed awkwardly. He'd never seen her in such a state; this was not helping his not-a-crush. _Don't stare,_ he thought. _Don't. Stare._

"When am I grumpy?"

Poe chuckled. "I can think of plenty of times, sweetheart. Shall I enumerate them?"

Rey huffed. "Please don't." She took another sip, turning to look at him properly. She quickly realized that was a mistake. He must have rolled right out of bed! Dark curls a mess, square jaw shadowed with an extra night's growth, sleeveless undershirt clinging to his torso. Her eyes lingered on the chain around his neck; she'd seen it before, but she'd never asked about it. It was clearly important to him; he was never without it. She refused to look any lower; she was fairly certain his pants were the thin drawstring variety. Warmth bloomed in her belly; she turned, hoping he didn't notice.

Poe felt her eyes on him; he struggled to keep his face impassive. She wouldn't appreciate it if he called her out. Still, it was nice to know he could affect her that way, even if nothing ever came of it. "Not to be rude, but is there a reason you're up this early? I mean, Papa's not even awake yet."

Rey let out a breath. "I wanted to see the sunrise."

He blinked, surprised. "Would you mind some company?"

She seemed to consider it for a moment, then she nodded. "You can stay."

"Thanks for the permission, Sunshine," he snarked, unable to help himself. "Though this is my house."

"It's Kes' house," she corrected. "You're just visiting."

Poe chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose that's true."

They lapsed into silence, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as Rey expected. She was thankful Poe hadn't teased her about her wandering eyes. She hadn't meant to; she just wasn't used to seeing him so…informally. They'd been on missions together, worked out of the same base. For a year. They'd fought and laughed and saved each other numerous times. But this was the first time she really _saw_ him. The man, not the cocky pilot. She liked the cocky pilot (when he wasn't being an ass), but she just might like the man more.

Poe kept stealing glances at her as they watched the sunrise. The horizon glowed in reds, oranges, yellows, even purple. It had been a long time since he'd watched the sun come up over his home, but he found that it paled in comparison to the woman beside him. Objectively, he'd always known she was beautiful; how could he not? He was pretty sure Finn harbored a crush on their friend, at least at first. They settled into a sibling dynamic over the last few months as Rey focused on her training.

Poe tried. He really did. He tried to settle into that same groove, but he never managed it. They just got under each other's skin; they were constantly butting heads. She was just as passionate as he was, though she tried to hide it. Was that her Jedi training? If so, Poe didn't think very highly of it. Why should she repress who she was in order to be a Jedi? What was the point of that? Her fire was what made her strong; she _shined._

The longer they remained there, the more Poe realized just how much trouble he was in. Because now that he had here, he didn't want to let her go. The chain around his neck seemed to be heavier, but he shook the feeling off. Nothing could happen, no matter how much he wanted it to. Best to accept that and move on.

"Poe?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to explain exactly what we're doing here?"

His heart sank. "Do you not like it? I can tell Papa…"

She laid a hand on his arm; his eyes instantly locked with hers. "Reneging on your promise, flyboy?"

"Which promise?"

"I was promised a tour."

He grinned to hide his relief. "And I intend to deliver, Sunshine. After breakfast."

Breakfast, as it turned out, took longer than he anticipated. Kes fussed over them, to Poe's embarrassment and Rey's amusement. Poe was thirty-three years old, for kark's sake! He could make his own breakfast, thank you very much. Still, it was all worth it to see the look of pleasure on Rey's face as she indulged in some of the native cuisine. The sun had long since crested the trees by the time they got away.

Rey was still laughing as they left the house. Poe's embarrassment was oddly endearing; she couldn't resist teasing him when Kes wasn't looking. She had no idea where they were going; Poe marched determinedly toward what looked like a shed of some kind. "Poe? I didn't mean it. Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, Sunshine," he said, his cheeks still pink. "I'm glad I amuse you."

She grabbed his arm. "It's…nice. Seeing you with your dad. I didn't even remember mine, not until recently."

Sympathy colored his handsome features. "So, you got your answers? I know how important it was to you."

She sighed. "Yeah." She hoped he didn't want her to elaborate; she didn't think she could. She didn't want to break this…thing between them. This was the most free she'd felt in _years_; it still surprised her that it was Poe Dameron who'd brought it out in her. She loved Finn like the brother she never had, but with Poe it was always different.

Poe turned away, ignoring the disappointment that curled in his belly. Why wouldn't she tell him? He knew she didn't owe him anything, certainly not her secrets, whatever they were. Weren't they friends? Best friends? Then again, he'd hidden his past. He wasn't proud of it, but he'd done it. Perhaps it was the same for Rey? What could she have to be ashamed of? She was light and hope and everything good in the galaxy.

He wanted her trust; he would do whatever it took to earn it.

Rey winced inwardly. She hated hurting him. He didn't deserve it. Here he was sharing a part of himself that she'd never expected, and she was keeping things from him. Things she hadn't told a soul, not even Finn. Before she could think, her mouth opened to speak, though no sound came out. Ahead of her, Poe was picking his way through some twisted metal and cloth, clearly looking for something.

"Poe, what is all this?"

"When I was a kid, I used to build microgliders," he replied. "Crashed more than once too." He'd broken his left arm microgliding; his mother hadn't been very happy about it. "But it's one of the best ways to explore the jungle."

"How young were you?"

He shrugged. "Five, six. Mom took me up in her old A-wing when I was small. Guess I caught the bug."

"Your mother was a pilot?"

"Yep. She died when I was eight though."

"I'm sorry."

They shared a look; Poe's fingers itched. The chain weighed heavily around his neck, like it was trying to tell him something. "I think there's enough here for us to fix up, if you're up to it."

Rey grinned. "Best glider gets to pilot the Falcon back?"

"I promised I wouldn't fly the Falcon anymore, remember?"

"You're not asking. This is a bet. Now, are you in or out?"

His grin sent shivers down her spine. "Definitely in, sweetheart."

They spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon working. Kes brought them snacks at one point; both refused to come in for lunch. It was like they were two children, each trying to outdo the other. Rey had never built a microglider, which put her at a slight disadvantage. But how hard could it be? She was a scavenger; she could repurpose just about anything.

They kept stealing looks at each other; Poe could pretend it was to check on the competition, but deep down he knew better. He didn't even care about piloting the Falcon; this was the most _fun _he'd had in years. He told her more stories from his youth, his early days in the fleet. He avoided talking about his time with the spice runners; he didn't want to think about it. He'd only flirted with Zorii because he thought whatever he felt for Rey was hopeless. He saw that now. But was it? There were moments when he caught her looking…there was something. He was certain of it. But it had to be her choice. She was the one with a future meant to bring peace to the galaxy. He was just a simple pilot.

Rey flipped up her goggles; once the solder cooled, her glider would be ready. Poe was adding the finishing touches to his own glider; it looked like it had a few more bells and whistles than hers. Typical. He just had to show off. "So where are we going?"

"I have a few ideas. How adventurous do you want to be, Jedi?"

"How adventurous _can_ we be?"

He grinned. "I knew there was a reason I liked you." He scrambled up, lifting the lightweight glider easily. "Need a hand?"

"Nope." Rey held out her hand and focused; the glider lifted off the ground and hovered in front of her.

Oh right. The Force. Poe pushed past her, carrying his glider to his dad's old skimmer. Rey followed, her glider next to her. They loaded the gliders aboard, then Poe lit the engine. "There's an old Massassi temple not far from here. Shouldn't take long."

"Sounds good." Rey sat nearby, content to watch the scenery go by as Poe maneuvered the skimmer. It was nice to be able to enjoy this; the last time they boarded a similar craft, they were being chased by the First Order. "Poe?"

"Yeah, Sunshine?"

She wasn't sure what she wanted to ask; she just didn't like the silence. But his reply sparked a question. "Why do you call me that?"

Poe tilted his head, frowning. "I can stop."

"I didn't say I wanted you to stop. I just wondered…why?"

"Oh. Well…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Just something I thought of when I first saw you. You were standing there, your hand outstretched. I was certain we were all dead, that I'd led us all into a trap. And there you were. The sun was behind you; it was almost like you were glowing, like a ray of sunshine. I guess it stuck."

Rey scooted over, resting her hand on his. "Thank you. I like it."

"Well, you're welcome." Their eyes caught and held for a long beat. Poe resisted the urge to touch her with his free hand, though he did squeeze her fingers. She didn't move or let go, which only confused him. He knew better than to hope, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't deny it any longer, not to himself. He had feelings for her. Big, scary feelings.

What was he supposed to do now?

Things were quiet again as they approached the top of the temple. Poe brought the skimmer in for a gentle landing near the top of the tiered pyramid. Rey used the Force to unload both gliders; Poe huffed. "Show off."

"You got us up here; I was trying to help!"

"I know, I know. I'm messing with you, Sunshine." She rolled her eyes, hands back on her hips. Whatever moment they'd had was over; this was familiar territory. Poe maneuvered his glider to where he wanted it. "Okay. We'll take things slow at first, since you're new at this."

She scoffed. "You don't have to coddle me, flyboy."

"Suit yourself." Couldn't she just follow his lead for once? "And you say I'm the difficult one."

"Hey!"

The temple wasn't the tallest on Yavin, but it was tall enough for what he had in mind. "The farm's that way," he said, gesturing to his left. "First one back there flies us home."

"I thought this was a sightseeing excursion?" It was beautiful, way up there. A canopy of green stretched out in front of them; she could feel all the life around her.

"You're the one who made this a bet, sweetheart," he countered, grinning. "Unless you want to forfeit?"

"Not a chance." She clamored aboard her own glider, following his lead.

Poe caught her eyes, his face serious for a moment. "You'll do great." He didn't tell her to be careful or anything like that. He knew she could take care of herself. "See you on the flip side." Then, before she could blink, he was gone.

"Poe!" she cried, searching for him frantically. His glider appeared a second later, its pilot grinning like a fool. "Kriff." Annoyed at him, she hastened to follow, using the Force to give her an extra push as she took off.

"That's cheating!" Poe yelled, as she sailed past him.

She didn't reply; she simply laughed. She may have gotten ahead by "cheating" but he had all the experience. The wind rushed in her ears as he moved ahead, just a bit, tilting the single wing to the left. The sun glinted off the metal of both gliders; little gusts of wind tried to tug them off course. The valley stretched out below them, green and rich; Rey could understand why Poe would do this as a child. It was gorgeous and exhilarating.

"Rey!" Poe called. "Look!"

She glanced in the direction he pointed; a flock of…where they birds? They were unlike any birds she'd ever seen, brilliant yellow plumage shining in the sun, wings almost paper thin with long tails stretching out behind them. They were utterly silent in flight, aside from a low cry. They seemed to think that she and Poe were a part of their flock; they twisted and swerved to match them. Rey was just about to ask what species they were when she saw a couple latch on to Poe's glider.

"POE!" she screamed. "Watch out!"

He must have felt the extra weight on his glider; he tried leaning from side to side to get them off. But they were stronger than they looked and the tree tops were coming up _fast._ Rey watched in horror as the glider tipped over completely and crashed into the canopy. She reached out with the Force, trying to slow down Poe's fall. She nearly lost control of her own glider; she had to resort to her own controlled crash, quickly untangling herself from the twisted metal and fabric. She jumped for the nearest branch she thought would support her weight, cursing the fact that she didn't have her lightsaber. It was back in her room.

Using all her skills, she maneuvered from tree to tree until she reached the one Poe landed in. He had some cuts on his face, the arm she'd healed lay at an awkward angle. "Poe, it's me, it's Rey," she murmured, trying to figure out how to stabilize him a_nd _get them out of the trees. "Wake up."

He stirred for a second, his eyelids fluttering. She shook him again, but he remained unconscious. Had he hit his head on a branch? All he'd wanted was to show her his home and look what happened! She regretted every snarky or rude thing she'd ever said to him. "Okay, Rey, focus." She could heal him, then they could get down. Simple.

He'd probably laugh at her for worrying so much.

On impulse, she leaned over and brushed her lips across his forehead. "You're gonna be fine. I promise." It took her a moment to get her balance in the tree, but once she was settled, she laid her hands across his brow and shoulder. She summoned the Force, using it to transfer a bit of her life force into him. It started working almost immediately, the cuts closing, his breathing evening out.

Poe's eyes fluttered open; there was something sharp digging into his back. He tried to move, but he was stopped almost immediately by Rey. "Careful."

"What happened?"

"You crashed."

"I gathered that. Why are we in a tree?"

"You remember those birds?"

"The whisper birds?" His eyes went wide as he remembered. "How hard did I hit?"

"I tried to slow you down," she said, taking his hand in hers. "Not sure how successful I was."

Poe leaned over, looking down to the ground below. It was farther than he wanted to admit. "I'd say you were pretty successful. Thanks."

"I think you dislocated your shoulder again. How does it feel?"

Poe rolled his left arm experimentally; he didn't feel any pain. "You do your Jedi magic on me again?"

"It's not magic," she huffed.

Carefully, he brought her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. "Whatever it is, that's the second time you've used it on me. Thanks, Sunshine."

Her skin tingled where he kissed her. Once again, their eyes caught and held. Rey's heart pounded in her chest. Would he kiss her? Did she want him to? Her feelings were all over the place; all she was sure of was that she cared about him. A lot. She hated seeing him hurt. And yet…she'd been so _wrong_ before. If Poe knew how wrong she was, he'd never look at her like _this_ again.

"Any idea how we get down?" she asked softly, breaking the moment.

Poe ignored the way his heart clenched. This wasn't the time or the place to dump his feelings on her. Feelings she might not return. Though the lingering fear in her hazel eyes was pretty telling. She'd been terrified for him. It gave him hope that just maybe they could figure things out between them. He would just have to be patient.

"Uh, carefully?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not very helpful, flyboy."

"I grew up climbing these trees," he boasted. "Just follow my lead." He looked down again, trying to gauge his footing. Bark rubbed his palms as he eased himself down to the next branch; it was going to be a long climb. Slowly, he slithered from one branch to the next, the handholds and branches getting sturdier the lower he went. He looked up periodically to make sure she was following him; he needn't have worried. She hadn't spent fourteen years scavenging wrecks for nothing. She caught up just before Poe jumped the final few feet, landing gracefully beside him. "See? Easy."

"How far do you think it is to the farm?"

"We were pretty close. Should be just over that rise." He paused. "We never finished our bet."

"You nearly get killed by some birds and that's what you're worried about?" she snapped.

"Nearly nothing. You were right there. I'm fine."

"Because I healed you! Again!"

"I've had closer calls than that in my X-wing!" he shouted. He didn't know why she was being so touchy about this. "And I didn't ask you to heal me, sweetheart!"

"Fine! I won't do it again!"

"Does this happen every time you have fun or is it just with me?"

"Does what happen?"

"You, with all the drama," he snarked. "You're acting like I died or something!"

She stepped back; her hands balled into fists. "Don't. Don't _ever_ joke about that, Poe Dameron. Not ever." Why was he so infuriating? Why was he so cavalier about his death? He didn't see what she saw. He didn't see the way he tumbled from the sky. Hadn't they lost enough friends? What gave him the right?

Before Poe could even formulate an apology, Rey turned on her heel and marched off in the direction of the farm. He didn't need to be attuned to the Force to know that she was _furious_. Furious and scared. Scared of what, he wasn't sure. Of him? Of _losing_ him? That made sense. What happened to her on Exegol? What had that bastard done to her?

Poe had no clue, but until he did, they'd never be able to move forward.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:** Wow, thanks to everyone's who's found this story! I am having a blast writing it. We've got a little hint of the M rating in this chapter. Also, I am running with the assumption that Poe didn't know Kylo Ren's former identity, since they keep referring to him as "Ren" in the movie. So if he did in any of the comics or books...oops? Just go with it. There's a method to my madness. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Nope.

**Chapter 2**

Rey jumped over the small creek, landing nimbly. The heat was oppressive, weighing her down, wet humid air heavy in her lungs. She kept running, using her golden blade to cut her way through the jungle. She had no real destination in mind; she was simply running. It was better than thinking about what she was feeling. She let the Force flow through her, calming her, centering her.

A clearing appeared; she somersaulted into it. Once she was safely on her feet, she swung her saber, left, then right, like she was going against some imaginary foe. Faintly, she heard sounds of wildlife dispersing through the jungle; frightened no doubt. She ignored the burn in her muscles; she'd learned the hard way not to let her skills lapse. Kylo Ren nearly beat her on what remained of the Death Star; he would have had he not been distracted.

Leia.

Rey stumbled, mentally shaking off the memory. Or trying to. The memory of her rage and pain stole her breath. She couldn't ever remember being so _angry_. The truth about her past, her lineage, hit her like supernova; in that moment, all she wanted was to end the pain. When she stabbed Kylo in the stomach, horror overwhelmed her. She felt sick. She couldn't believe she was capable of such darkness. It was why she fled to Ahch-To. She never wanted to be like that. She didn't want her vision to come true.

Leia gave her life to bring her son back from the darkness. Ben didn't turn for Rey. That was a blessing. She'd been wrong in trying to reach him. It was beyond her. In the end, it was his family that brought him back to the light. Who did Rey have? No one. All her kin were dead, the last at her hand.

Unbidden, Poe's face flashed in her mind. He wanted to be her family. Poe and Finn. Rose and Chewie. But what would happen if they discovered the truth? Why would they want to be her friends, let alone family? Poe kept looking at her like she was special; she didn't want to be special. She just wanted to be _Rey._ Did he care about Rey or did he care that she was a Jedi? She desperately wanted to believe that he wanted Rey, but she'd been fooled before. Kylo Ren wanted her to believe that; she almost did.

She didn't want to be wrong again.

* * *

"Rey? You here, Sunshine?" Poe called as he entered the house. He hoped she would come back to the house; he needed to apologize. He hadn't meant to upset her; as a pilot, gallows humor came with the territory. He realized his mistake almost instantly; the look on her face broke his heart. He wanted to hold her, prove to her that he was worthy of her affections. But she'd run before he got a chance. He beat himself up the whole way back to the farm, wanting nothing more than to make things right.

"Mijo?" Kes said, coming in from the kitchen.

"Papa, have you seen Rey?"

Kes Dameron shook his head. "Anything wrong?"

Poe laughed ruefully. "You always said my smart mouth would get me in trouble."

Kes didn't scold his son; Poe looked miserable. Whatever he'd said or done, it weighed on him. Kes had been silently observing the pair since they arrived; there were feelings there. In fact, he was strongly reminded of himself and Shara; it was almost like looking in a mirror. Kes liked Rey immensely; she was kindhearted yet tough. He could see she'd been through a lot, more than a person should endure. Yet she still saw beauty in the world. He could see why his son was so drawn to her. "What happened?"

Poe wanted to find Rey, but he needed some advice. He didn't want to screw up again. As briefly as he could, he explained about the microgliding, the crash, his stupidity. When he finished, Kes's eyes were sympathetic. "She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

Poe rubbed the back of his neck. "That obvious, huh?"

"You've never really been shy about your feelings, mijo."

"I never expected this," Poe confessed. "We were so busy trying to win the war…I guess it snuck up on me. And she's so young…"

"Why does that matter?"

"Papa…" Poe was thirty-three. Rey was twenty, almost twenty-one. She was just starting her life; why would she want him?

"Don't you think it should be her choice?"

"Of course, I do!" Poe ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "She deserves everything she wants. As much as I would love for her to choose _me,_ I'm not sure I would be good for her."

Kes frowned. "That doesn't sound like the son I raised."

Poe sat heavily in a nearby chair. It was overwhelming. There were so many people depending on him. Rey wasn't wrong about that. It felt like the weight of the galaxy rested on his shoulders. Leia left the Resistance to _him_, for some godsforsaken reason. He wasn't a politician. He wasn't a diplomat. He was a fighter pilot. A damn good one, but that didn't matter. Not anymore. He was in over his head. He was a mess. Rey didn't need that in her life, not when she was just starting to live it.

"Poe. Look at me."

Reluctantly, Poe raised his head. His father looked stern, like he was about to get a scolding. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't want you to say anything. I want you to go find her and tell her how you feel."

"I don't know how I feel!"

Kes crossed his arms. "That's bantha shit and you know it. It's all over your face. If you care for her as much as you think, then let her make her own choices, mijo. She can't do that if you're not honest with her."

Poe's shoulders slumped. His dad was right. He couldn't expect her honesty and confidence if he didn't give her his in return. The fact that it scared the shit out of him only proved how deep his feelings for her were. He'd never felt like _this._ He'd been in love before; he'd lost love before. Rey was unlike anyone he'd ever met; he was blinded by her light. He didn't know what he would do if he karked this up.

"Thanks, Papa." Poe stood and hugged his dad.

"I just want you to be happy, mijo. Good luck."

Now the only thing he needed to do was find her. He had no idea where she could have gone; he already checked the Falcon. She _could _have just taken the ship and left; it was a good sign that she hadn't. A sign of what, he wasn't sure. There was only one way to find out. This was what Poe did; he laid everything on the line for the things he believed in. He believed in Rey. He believed they could have something good _together._

He checked her room; it was empty. He didn't expect to find her right away, yet he couldn't help the disappointment that curled in his belly. "Beebee-Ate? You here, buddy?"

The droid came rolling up, beeping rapidly. Poe knelt down in front of his friend. BB-8 liked Rey; he was always eager to help whenever Poe left him in Rey's care. During her training, Poe didn't want her to be alone while he and Finn were out on missions, so he asked BB-8 to keep her company. Looking back, he probably should have seen this coming sooner. "Can you help me find Rey, buddy? I really need to talk to her."

BB-8 beeped in the affirmative; his scanners already whirling. Poe chuckled softly to himself; of course, his droid would be invested in his love life. Or maybe it was just Rey. Before Poe could say anything else, BB-8 was off, hopefully rolling in the direction Rey had gone. He jogged after the droid, hope surging in his chest.

* * *

Rey clipped her saber to her belt and crossed her legs. Slowly, her body rose off the ground. She could feel the Force all around her; the surrounding area teamed with life. Tall trees, dense underbrush, insects, monkey like creatures she couldn't name. This little valley was so _alive_, so _peaceful_; it soothed her battered soul. So much had happened to her in the last year. She'd gone from enslaved scavenger to a Jedi. She had people who cared about her. Even from this distance, she could feel Finn's friendship, Leia's pride, Rose's jokes, Chewie's protectiveness. It meant more to her than she could say.

She'd been kidnapped, tortured, battered and almost broken. Somehow, she'd come out the other side. Yet she didn't know what came next. She hoped choosing a new name would help her start over, but perhaps she'd suffered too much. Perhaps she didn't know _how _to find joy and peace in the galaxy. The only person she thought could understand was gone, but deep down she knew Ben couldn't understand. Not this.

All Rey wanted was to move _forward_; Ben only knew how to go back.

She hadn't kissed him out of gratitude or affection. She was granting him absolution. For herself, not anyone else. Leia told her the story of how she and Han had hidden her ancestry from their son. She'd told Han right away; he didn't care. But they resolved not to tell Ben, for fear that he wouldn't understand. Leia herself never accepted her father's redemption; she couldn't. Luke was the only person who saw Darth Vader return to Anakin Skywalker. Leia had suffered too much at Vader's hands for forgiveness. It wasn't until her son was subsumed into Kylo Ren that she realized her mistake.

Hiding from the past didn't make it go away.

Rey knew that if Ben had survived, she would have handed him over to the Resistance. She _had_ to. He'd committed untold atrocities; he needed to answer for them. Saving her didn't balance the scales; that was impossible. Understanding the conflict he faced, she'd done what she could. Any more was beyond her.

She didn't expect anyone to understand why she'd done it. She hardly understood it herself. Perhaps she wasn't meant to understand it. Perhaps all she needed was to move forward.

Poe came up short, staring in awe. Rey was in the center of the valley, hovering, eyes closed, rocks spinning slowly in circles around her. He'd never seen her train; he didn't really know what it entailed. He hoped it was a good sign that she no longer appeared angry or upset. He was reluctant to disturb her, but he didn't want to wait. They'd waited long enough.

Poe cleared his throat. "Rey?"

She opened her eyes, finding him to her right. His face was hard to read; she was surprised at the way her heart thumped. She'd been so _angry _at him earlier; she couldn't believe he'd come after her. The only other person who'd done that was Finn. Gently, she lowered herself to the ground and brushed some of the dirt from her clothes. She hadn't expected anyone; she must look like a mess.

Poe approached carefully. "Could we, um, talk?"

Rey swallowed. "Okay."

He didn't have the slightest idea what to say. Poe, usually so articulate, was speechless. Her hazel eyes sparkled in the light, and yet, a shadow lingered there. He didn't know what it was, but he wanted to be there for her, however she needed.

He was quiet for so long, Rey got concerned. "You wanted to talk?"

Poe snapped out his reverie. "Um, yeah." He looked around, for what, he wasn't sure. _Just spit it out._ "Rey, I'm sorry. I was thoughtless back there. I don't know what happened on Exegol—and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to—but what I said obviously upset you. And I'm sorry. Hurting you is the last thing I want to do, but sometimes…lately…I don't know how to act around you. Not that it's an excuse. It's not." He groaned; he was rambling. "I'm gonna shut up now."

Rey found herself smiling; she'd never seen him so tongue tied before. It was kinda sweet. "Apology accepted." Then something else he'd said registered. "What do you mean, you don't know how to act? Did I do something…?"

"No!" he cried. "No, it's nothing you did. You're…" Poe laughed dryly. He'd practiced what to say in his head over and over as he and BB-8 followed her trail. Now that he actually had to say the words, they caught in his throat. "You're…well, you're Rey. You're the first person I think of when I wake up. You're the person I think about as I fall asleep. You're the person I look for when Finn makes a joke, or some bad news comes in. The truth is, I've thought of you as more than my friend for a while; I just didn't realize it until now."

Rey was stunned. Flabbergasted. Poe had feelings for her? It seemed too good to be true. It didn't make sense! They did nothing but fight! They butted heads constantly. At least, they did. Little moments from the last couple of days flashed before her; the way he held her hand, the way her belly flip flopped when he looked at her, her terror as he crashed. And now he was here, looking at her with such hope, like she hung the moon. She could feel him, how scared he was, how brave he was.

Before she could reply, he was speaking again. "I don't expect anything from you, Sunshine. I know I'm too old for you and you deserve someone better than me, but I wanted to tell you the truth while I still had a chance."

She frowned. "Why would you think that? You're not old!" Sure, he had a couple of gray hairs peaking out of his dark curls, but she liked that.

"Sweetheart, I'm over a decade older than you."

She put her hands on her hips, her jaw set. "I know how old you are, flyboy. Do you think because I'm young I must be stupid?"

"No!" he cried. "Of course, I don't think that. You're smart, smarter than me." He barked a laugh. "Gods, I am karking this up."

Rey reached out, resting her hand on his arm. He looked from her hand to her face; he hardly dared to breathe. Her fingers trailed down until she caught his hand; she hesitated for a moment before curling her fingers around his. "Is this okay?"

He squeezed. "Very okay, Sunshine."

She smiled. "I like that."

"You mentioned that."

She flushed. "No one's ever had a nickname for me before. Not a good one anyway."

Poe felt a surge of anger; he hated everyone that had ever treated her badly. "It's who you are to me," he reminded her. "My ray of sunshine when everything seems lost."

She felt it again, that pull toward him. She couldn't believe that someone like Poe could have feelings for someone like _her_, but she felt it, his sincerity, the truth in his eyes. Yet, she could tell he was still a bit scared; it helped because she was scared too. She could fall into his eyes so easily; she saw that now.

Perhaps that's why their friendship was always so contentious. Perhaps they were meant to be more.

She wasn't pushing him away; Poe decided to take another chance. "Can I kiss you?"

Rey blinked; her eyes dropped to his lips instinctively. Slowly, she nodded.

"That a yes, Sunshine?" Poe asked hopefully, needing her to be sure.

Finally, she found her voice. "Yes."

As gently as he could, Poe cupped her cheek with his free hand. His heart hammered in his chest; he couldn't believe this was really happening! The heat around them seemed to fall away; all he could feel was her. He smiled as he leaned in; thankfully, he was only an inch or two taller than her. Her lips were softer than he imagined; she seemed to lean into him. He followed her, sinking his fingers into her loose hair.

Nerves rattled through her as Poe kissed her; he was gentle and careful and nothing like she expected. Warmth seemed to flow through her; she couldn't help but chase it. She tightened her grip on his hand; she shivered as he cradled her head.

He wanted nothing more than to keep kissing her, but he pulled back just a fraction. "Is this okay?"

She smiled. "Yeah."

"Oh good." He released her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist before capturing her lips again. A surprised noise caught in her throat as she kissed him back, or rather she tried to. She was way out of her comfort zone, so she followed his lead.

Poe felt her relax in his arms; joy surged through him. The idea that she could actually return his feelings didn't feel _real_; he half expected to wake up. She caught on quickly though, her slender arms sliding around his neck. This time when the kiss broke he leaned his forehead against hers. "Wow."

"Good?"

"Um, yeah." There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to show her. But he didn't want to rush this. She was too important for him to kark this up.

_He loved her._

He'd tried fighting it, denying it, willing it away. He buried it under snark and combativeness for months; there was a war on! But now that war was over. There was so much he wasn't sure about, but he was sure about her. With her beside him, he felt like he could take on the whole galaxy.

Happiness welled in her chest; for the first time since Exegol, she felt hopeful. After everything that happened, she felt _safe_ here in Poe's arms. It was the first time she's felt truly safe since she was a child.

Poe sighed as she buried her nose in his neck; he loved holding her. She felt perfect in his arms, like she was meant to be there. Once again, the ring around his neck felt heavy. It belonged to Shara Bey, given to him after she passed. He vowed to only give it to the right partner, the person he would spend his life with. There was a tiny voice in the back of his head that said it belonged to Rey, but he kept it to himself. The last thing she needed was to be burdened with that. She might change her mind, decide he wasn't worth it.

_She's not like that,_ he scolded himself. Rey was very loyal to those she cared about.

"Sunshine?"

Rey raised her head, her eyes curious. "Yes?"

Poe flushed. Why was it so hard to ask her a simple question? It was like he was thirteen again and holding his crush. "Remember when you asked me why we came here?" She nodded. "There's something I'd like to show you. May I?"

"Sure."

"It's a little bit of a walk from here. I didn't expect you to be quite so far away," he apologized, releasing her. He took her hand, smiling as she squeezed.

"Sorry. I was just…I needed to blow off some steam."

"Which is my fault. Sorry. Again."

BB-8 rolled behind them, staying in their tracks. Rey wanted to tell him the truth; she knew she needed to tell him the truth. But she was so, so scared. What if he rejected her? She'd not only lose this newfound thing between them, but she'd lose his friendship. Everything would be awkward. She opted for a half truth. "I was scared," she confessed. "I saw you fall, then you were unconscious…"

"You don't have to explain. I was an ass."

She drew them to a stop; she needed him to understand this. "Poe, I was terrified. I can't…I mean, I don't _want_ to lose you. I didn't know how much until that moment."

"Oh, Sunshine." He pulled her into another hug; she sighed against his chest. He could get used to the feel of her in his arms. "Do you want to hear a confession?"

She looked up at him with curious eyes. "Sure."

"I volunteered to come with you to Tatooine because I was afraid of losing you. You've got this destiny ahead of you, things you need to do. I wanted to spend as much time with you as I could before you drifted away from me." There, he'd said it. He'd laid his heart out, waiting to see what she'd do with it.

Words caught in her throat. The ache in his voice tugged on her heart; he truly was afraid of losing her. After everything they'd been through, did he think she would just abandon her friends? Her family? If being a Jedi meant she had to give them up, then she didn't want to _be _a Jedi. There had to be another way. She didn't know what that was yet, but she'd figure it out.

Rey cupped his scruffy jaw in her hands and tugged him down to her, kissing him softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Poe smiled. "Hmm, I think I like it when you kiss me."

She laughed then leaned in to kiss him again. "I think I like kissing you."

He took her hand in his again; he had something very important to show her. "Come on. The surprise isn't going to show itself."

Rey was very curious about whatever he wanted to show her. It was obviously very important to him, to bring her all the way to his home. He started talking, just to ease his nerves. He told her some more stories from his childhood; aside from his warm palm against hers, it was almost like nothing had changed between them. But everything had changed. Rey could feel it. Poe's Force signature was always strong and vibrant, but now it was almost incandescent. Such a simple thing had made him very happy; she didn't want to ruin it.

She was so torn. How could she explain something she barely understood herself? She knew she'd have to find a way. It wasn't fair to Poe, not when he'd been nothing but honest with her. Guilt twisted in her gut, but she couldn't ruin his joy. Not today.

They passed the house; Poe was glad he didn't see Kes anywhere. He _knew_ his dad would only embarrass him; he could say "I told you so" later. There was a part of him that was still in shock. Rey hadn't turned him away. She hadn't said it in so many words, but she had feelings for him. She didn't _need_ to say it; he felt it.

"Where are we going?"

Poe drew them to a stop. "Do you trust me?"

Rey nodded. "I do."

"Close your eyes." She'd feel it soon enough; she might already. He wasn't sure how that worked. Still, he wanted some semblance of surprise. She complied easily enough; Poe smiled. He took her hands in both of his and led her forward. "So, there is something I haven't told you," he began. "When my parents moved here, Luke entrusted them with something. Something valuable."

"What was it?" They entered the clearing; Rey gasped. She didn't need to open her eyes. She'd only felt this once before, on Ahch-To.

"You feel it, don't you?"

She nodded, then opened her eyes. A tall Force tree stood before her. Not as tall (or old) as the one on Ahch-To, but she could sense the power. She stepped closer, resting her hand on the trunk. Peace washed through her; she smiled. She saw images, flickers; a much younger Poe climbing the tree, a beautiful woman looking exasperated, the same woman and a younger Kes sitting under it.

"Good surprise?"

Rey stepped back, beaming at him. "I had no idea. It's wonderful!"

Poe blushed. "I used to climb it when I was a kid; it drove my mother crazy."

"I saw."

Poe frowned. "Wait. You _saw?"_

Rey twisted her hands together. "Just flickers really, images." She caught his eye. "I saw your mother. She was beautiful."

Poe didn't know what to say to that. But he took Rey's hands in his; he didn't want her to think she needed to hide her abilities from him. "Does that happen often?"

She shook her head. "Not so far. But I'm still pretty new at this whole Jedi thing."

Poe took a deep breath, then he tugged the chain out from under his shirt. "This was hers. I've had it since she died."

Rey ran her fingers over the chain. "I knew it was important to you, but I never asked."

"I don't talk about her a lot," he confided. "And reputations aren't all they're cracked up to be." He received a far bit of…attention, but the reality was different. He flirted to ease the tension in a room or as a distraction. He realized with a start that he hadn't been remotely interested in anyone else after he met Rey.

He didn't need to elaborate. She might be new to relationships, but she wasn't blind. Poe was an attractive man; he could probably be with anyone he wanted. Yet, for some reason, he wanted _her._

"Thank you for bringing me here," she said quietly.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Can we stay? Just for another day or so?"

"We can stay as long as you like." He'd stay here forever if she asked.

"I don't think Lieutenant Connix would appreciate that."

Poe drew her close and groaned. "Don't remind me." When he was with her like this, it was easy to forget that people were relying on them. His doubts hadn't disappeared. He still didn't have any clue how to put the galaxy back together. He didn't want that responsibility. But perhaps now, he wouldn't have to shoulder it alone.

Rey hugged him tightly. She could feel the doubt in him, the worry. It was something they shared. She didn't know how to make it better, but perhaps they could find their way together.

* * *

Rey's holo flickered; she dived to answer it. Finn appeared. "Rey? Rey, is that you?"

"Finn! Yeah, I'm here."

"Where are you? I tried holoing the base, but they said you never came back! Is everything okay?"

She appreciated his concern. "Poe and I are on Yavin IV."

"Yavin IV, what's on Yavin IV?"

"Poe's father."

"You met Poe's father?"

"Yeah. He's nice. And they have a Force tree." She went into more detail; it was exciting to have some connection to the Force that wasn't a dusty book. She thought the Force trees were all gone; she was glad to be wrong. To find it connected to Poe just made it more special.

"So, are you and Poe, um, getting along? You haven't killed each other yet?"

Rey flushed, which was stupid because the holo image didn't have that much detail. "No, we're, ah…we're good." She didn't know how to explain what happened, how their relationship had changed in the last few hours. She and Poe had spent the evening under the Force tree, just enjoying the quiet. And kissing. A lot. It surprised her how _quiet_ Poe could be; he was always so energetic. It was yet another facet of the man that she was discovering. She liked it.

Finn looked skeptical. "Well, try not to kill him. We kinda need him, okay?"

Rey laughed. "I'll do my best." She changed the subject, asking Finn how his mission was going. He was searching for any information he could find regarding the kidnapped children. It was slow going; there was no central database or anything like that. He and Jannah were piecing things together, but he promised to come back to Ajan Kloss if they needed him.

"Miss you, Finn," Rey said.

"Miss you too, Rey." The image disappeared. She couldn't help but wonder what Finn's reaction would be when he found out about her and Poe. He spent so long keeping the peace between them; would he be happy? She hoped so.

Poe rolled over; he was having trouble falling asleep. He was keenly aware that Rey was next door. He'd been reluctant to say good night, for fear that the spell they found themselves under would disappear come morning. The evening had gone better than he could have hoped. Their usual bickering was fading into gentle teasing; he loved making her laugh. And kissing her. But mostly, they were just quiet, enjoying each other's company. It was some of the happiest hours of his life.

A beeping sound got his attention. Was that his holo? He reached for the disk, switching it on. "Finn?"

"Dameron."

_Uh oh._ He knew that face. He decided to play dumb. "How's the search going, buddy?"

"I talked to Rey."

"That's…good?" Poe didn't like the look on his friend's face; it was ominous. "We miss you."

"Apparently not that much."

Poe sighed. "Did she tell you?"

Finn crossed his arms. "She didn't have to. She said she hadn't killed you yet; normally, you two can't spend ten minutes together without shouting. I knew something was up."

"Look, Finn…" He wasn't sure how to explain; he hadn't planned on falling for Rey. It just…happened.

"_I knew it!" _Finn shouted excitedly, grinning. "I knew you liked her!"

Poe frowned. "What do you mean you knew? I thought you were going to give me a hard time or threaten me or something! Kriffing hell, Finn!"

"Do I _have_ to threaten you?"

Poe sobered. "I hope not."

"You _hope not?"_

"Well, I'd like to think you know me better than that, Finn." Hurting Rey was literally the last thing he wanted. But he knew things wouldn't be easy. They both had responsibilities. Hells, they were still getting to know each other. But he was willing to do his very best to make her happy, if she wanted him.

Finn's face turned serious. "Yeah, I do. Just remember, she's been through a lot recently. Be patient, okay?"

Poe nodded. "I will, I promise." Once again, he wondered if Finn knew something he didn't.

* * *

"_You've arrived at last."_

_Rey stared up at the decrepit figure above her, struggling not to recoil in horror. This was her grandfather? It didn't seem possible. She held out her hand, recalling vividly how Force lightening had shot out it. _

"_I've come to end the Sith, once and for all."_

_Palpatine laughed; it was a wicked sound, sending waves of revulsion through her. This monster had killed untold millions, including his own son. And her mother. She could recall them vividly now, her mother's kind smile, her father's fear. Fear of this man._

"_You've come to strike me down, granddaughter? How noble of you."_

"_We may be blood, but I am a Jedi."_

_Palpatine laughed again. "The Jedi are dead! You are an insignificant child." The Emperor narrowed his ancient eyes at her. "Your feelings betray you, granddaughter. How will your precious friends react when the discover the truth? Your destiny is with me, child. Your true family!"_

_Rey clenched her fist. "You're nothing to me."_

"_Nothing? I suppose we'll see about that." Movement to her right caught her eye. A slumped figure was trussed up on a crane, much like the one that sustained Palpatine. She couldn't tell who it was at first; it was so dark. She raced over, kneeling beside the prone form._

_It was Poe._

"_No, no, no," she whispered frantically. What was he doing here? His flight suit was torn; he had a cut over his eye. His handsome face was covered in soot and grease. She touched his forehead; he stirred._

"_Sunshine?" he groaned, his eyes focusing on her._

"_I'm going to get you out of here."_

"_Couldn't…let…you…be…alone," he breathed; each breath was a struggle. Fury welled up in her chest. This was her fault. She needed to end this. She checked quickly to make sure he was stable, then she stood, yanking her lightsaber from her belt and igniting it._

_Palpatine laughed. "Good! Good! Let the hate flow through you! Embrace your destiny as a Sith!"_

_No, this wasn't right. She needed to be calm. Centered. She couldn't let her anger rule her. Poe stirred again, trying to sit up, the foolish idiot. She shoved him back with an outstretched hand. He couldn't interfere. He would only get himself killed._

"_It's the only way."_

_Rey jerked at the new voice. Kylo Ren. She whirled, saber raised. Swathed in black, cracked helmet hiding his face, he advanced toward her. She moved to keep herself between him and Poe; whatever else happened, she had to protect him. "I won't turn," she said. "I won't."_

"_You already have," Kylo said. "I can feel your anger. You are one of us, Rey. You always were."_

"_No!" She rushed toward him, slashing furiously. Kylo Ren ignited his cracked red saber just in time to block her sloppy attack. Sparks lit the chamber as they fought, back and forth; she could hear the Emperor's pleased cackling, which only fueled her rage._

_Poe. She had to end this and get him out of here. He didn't belong here; this was bigger than him. She lost him in the battle, needing all her focus to keep Kylo at bay. He was beating her, wearing her down with his size and strength. She backflipped away as he slashed at her head, landing nimbly on her feet. Kylo advanced again, slowly, relaxed, like he had all the time in the world._

_He never saw it coming. Kylo Ren staggered suddenly, doubled over by a shot from a blaster. A howl of rage echoed in the temple; Rey searched frantically. She spotted Poe to her left, blaster raised and trained on Kylo Ren. "POE!" she screamed. "NO!"_

_Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Kylo Ren waved his hand at Poe, knocking his feet out from under him. Poe landed with a heavy thud, the wind knocked out of him. Rey was already running, desperate, but the spitting crimson blade was already arcing though the air. She threw hers in turn, trying to knock it off course. The blades collided, sparks flying, breaking apart like opposing magnets. The blue blade was knocked toward where Poe lay; Rey screamed in terror as it pierced his torso._

_Kriffing hell, what had she done?_

_She dived toward him, yanking out the blade. The saber went dark; she tossed it away in disgust. "Poe, Poe, I'm right here. Stay with me. Stay with me!"_

_He groaned, his head lolling. "It stings," he breathed, trying to smile at her. Lunatic._

"_What the hells were you thinking?"_

"_That you…shouldn't have…to do this…alone," he wheezed._

"_Being difficult again," she muttered. He was going to be okay. She could heal him. She could. She laid her hand over the wound, trying to summon the Force. She felt nothing. _Nothing._ Blood gushed from the wound; Poe started to cough. "Come on! Come _on!"

"_It's okay," he whispered, reaching for her hand. "It's okay, Sunshine."_

"_No! No, it is _not _okay!" She clutched at his hand, tears coursing down her cheeks. "Don't leave me. Please."_

_He reached up, his hand shaking, and cupped her cheek. He smiled at her, actually smiled, like they were sharing a joke on Ajan Kloss. Rey watched as the spark left his eyes, her heart leaden in her chest. Slowly, she leaned over, skimming her lips across his forehead. It was still warm._

_After a long beat, she stood, her hand outstretched. She faced her grandfather, her jaw set. She summoned her weapon, but it wasn't the familiar blue of Anakin's saber._

_It was the angry spitting red of Kylo Ren's._

Poe woke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. Something was wrong. Foreboding coiled in his belly; he couldn't put his finger on what it was. A sound caught his attention; it sounded like…kicking?

Rey. She was next door. That's where the sound was coming from. Poe was up in a flash, throwing open his bedroom door. Rey's door was closed; he hesitated. Normally, he wouldn't barge in without permission, but he _knew _something was wrong. Was she caught in the throes of a nightmare? That seemed likely; Poe frequently experienced that himself.

It was easier to beg forgiveness, then ask for permission, especially in an emergency; that was his motto. Decision made, he twisted the handle and pushed open the door. Rey's room was dark, save a streak of moonlight, but he could make out her tiny form in the bed. She was all tangled up in the covers, muttering to herself. Poe reached out, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Rey…Sunshine?" he whispered as loud as he dared. "Wake up, sweetheart."

She awoke with a gasp, her eyes frantic. "Poe?" She scrambled to find his hand; his flesh was warm and solid and real. She squeezed his fingers; he could feel her trembling. It felt so _real_, like she'd really watched him die in front of her.

"Are you okay? Looked like you were having a nightmare."

She nodded. There was so much to unpack, even as some of the details slipped away from her. "Yeah." Then she looked up at him, confused. "How did you know?"

Poe shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure. I woke up and I knew there was something wrong. I heard a noise and decided to check on you. Sorry for just barging in."

"It's okay." She was starting to calm, but she knew she wouldn't be sleeping again any time soon. She bit her lip, debating. Finally, she glanced up at him. "Would you, um, stay? It's okay if you don't, I just…"

Poe touched her chin. "If you want me to stay, then I'll stay," he said gently. Granted, this was _not_ how he imagined their first time in bed together (Not that he'd thought about it a lot…who was he kidding? He'd thought about it.), but if this was what she needed, then he would be there for her.

Rey scooted over; the bed wasn't that big, but it would do. Poe climbed in; she noticed with a start that he was shirtless. The moon turned his tan skin silver; his chest and shoulders were broader than she imagined. She tried not to stare, but she didn't think she was successful. He stretched out on his side; his head propped up in one hand. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry about this."

"Don't be sorry. I get nightmares too, so I get it."

"You do?"

He nodded. "Yeah. A bit less these days, but right after Jakku I got them all the time."

Jakku. Where he'd been tortured by Kylo Ren before Finn rescued him. She reached out gently and touched his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"The Force should never be used like that," she said vehemently. "It's wrong." She was seized by the urge to show him how _good_ the Force could be, but this wasn't the place. This thing between them was still too new for something as intimate as that.

"So, do you want to talk about it?"

Rey glanced away; she'd been afraid he would ask that. She didn't remember everything, but she did remember him dying in her arms. As awful as that was, her reaction was what was truly frightening. She'd given into the darkness so easily. It was what she always feared; losing Poe made it come to pass. In her dreams perhaps, but what about reality? She could feel him, wheedling his way into her heart. It was thrilling and frightening all at the same time.

She was silent so long; Poe swallowed his disappointment. "Hey, it's okay. We can just sleep."

"You died."

Poe blinked, surprised. "I _died_? In your nightmare?"

"Yeah, I was, ah, battling Ren and you were there." She found his eyes in the moonlight. "You said you didn't want me to be alone."

Poe smiled. "Sounds like me."

She shoved gently at his chest; this wasn't funny. "Anyway, you shot him; he threw his lightsaber at you. I tried to deflect it and I, I mean it…"

Poe didn't need her to finish; he could see it in her eyes. "Oh, sweetheart." Against his better judgment, he pulled her close; Rey buried her face in his chest. He rubbed her back soothingly, praying that his body would be behave. He'd imagined holding her more times than he could count, but she was always happy. Not like this. "It's okay. I'm right here."

He was so warm and comfortable; she finally let herself relax. She snuggled against him, just letting herself enjoy being held. She couldn't remember the last time someone else her like this, like she was precious. "This is nice."

Poe hummed, enjoying her weight more than he should. For someone so strong, she was surprisingly soft, fitting against him like she belonged there. "Sleep if you can, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

She shivered. She didn't want to sleep. She didn't want to see those things again. She needed a distraction. "Kiss me."

Poe blinked. "Sorry?"

"I thought you liked kissing me."

"I do, I just…are you sure?"

Rather than reply, she brushed her lips to his pectoral. Poe inhaled sharply, his fingers tightening against her back. "Rey…"

She inched her way up, still pressing kisses to his skin. She liked that she could make him feel like this. She felt his body tense under her touch; his breathing became more erratic. She let her hands wander, just exploring him. She smiled at him, tilting her head curiously. "Do you want me to stop?"

He shook his head; he couldn't resist her earnest charm. He tugged her closer then rolled them over, fusing his lips to hers. She gasped in delight, running her hands along his bare skin. Poe groaned; she couldn't know how her touch was affecting him. Could she? He didn't know—it wasn't something that had come up during their quiet makeout session under the Force tree—and he didn't want to rush anything. He desperately didn't want to kark this up by moving too fast.

His brain knew that and yet, it was all too easy to settle into the cradle of her thighs. Her gasp of pleasure nearly undid him; he buried his face in her neck, breathing hard. Rey hitched her legs over his hips, every inch of her body tingling. She could feel him between her legs; it was exciting and a new for her. She ran her fingers through his unruly locks; it was soft under her fingertips. Poe was practically quivering in her arms; was he holding back? She might be inexperienced, but she wasn't naïve. She understood what men and women did. She nipped at his lower lip; he groaned. "Rey, kriff."

"Is something wrong?"

"No! Well, sort of." He kissed her swiftly, easing his hips away from hers. "I just…" He rolled onto his back, thankful when she followed him, tucked into his side. "I really don't want to mess this up. You mean a lot to me." They'd been together for what? Hours? Not even a whole day. Time, of course, was relative, he knew that. They'd been friends for a year now. Yet this wasn't a fling, not for him. He was deadly serious about his Jedi.

"You mean a lot to me too." She needed to tell him. The whole truth. About Palpatine. About Ben. But her dream prayed on her fears; she didn't want to lose this, not when she'd just found it.

"Soon," he promised. He lifted her chin, so she could see his face. Thank kriff the moonlight was bright enough. "I'll give you all the distraction you can handle, Jedi."

She giggled. "That's a big promise, flyboy."

He kissed her again, this time not hesitating to deepen it just enough to make them both breathless. "It'll be worth it." _I love you, _he thought. He was in deep now, he knew that. When Poe gave his heart to something, he did it without reservation. Loving Rey was no different.

She relaxed once more in his arms, her head resting on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat under her cheek; it was soothing. At some point, he started singing softly, a song she didn't know. His voice was warm and rich; she liked it. It reminded her of the peace she felt under the Force tree.

Poe sang until he felt her breathing even out; she was asleep. He tucked her under his chin, lightly stroking her arm. He was touched that she asked him to stay with her after her nightmare; he was glad she felt like she could trust him with that. Of course, he'd nearly ruined everything with his attraction to her. She hadn't protested, even seemed to enjoy his attentions, but he thanked every god he could think of that he'd stopped. Rey deserved better than that. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was still holding something back. Finn asked for his patience; Poe was more than willing to give it. With the war over, they had time.

* * *

As Poe and Rey sat down to another of Kes' breakfast feasts, Poe felt his holo go off. Again. He was tempted to chuck it into the nearest lake, just to get rid of it. He fished it out and slapped it down on the table. Lieutenant Connix appeared, looking harassed. "General Dameron?"

Poe sighed. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"The overcrowding problem is getting worse," she informed him. "We don't have enough supplies for all these people. We are also receiving reports of some First Order remnants out of Lothal."

Poe ground his teeth. He'd been enjoying the respite from being the leader of the Resistance. "Send Jess and what's left of the squadron to Lothal." He almost said Snap, but Snap was gone. "We'll need to find a couple more staging areas, establish a presence in other systems to prevent lawlessness."

"What about here?" Kes asked.

"Here? Papa, the old Rebel base was abandoned decades ago." Plus, he didn't want what was left of the war to come anywhere near his dad. Kes Dameron had seen enough war.

Rey frowned. "Wait, Yavin IV is _that _Yavin? From the Battle of Yavin?"

"One and the same," Kes confirmed. "The base was in one of the old temples, mostly underground."

"It's out of the question," Poe said firmly.

"I think we should at least consider it," Rey said. She could feel Poe's worry coming off him in waves. There wasn't much of the First Order left, but it didn't take much to lay waste to a village or a farm. Leia had told her that one of her greatest regrets was not pushing harder to weed out every last bit of the Empire from the galaxy. If they had the First Order might never have risen from the ashes. Her parents might never have abandoned her. She might never have met Finn. Or Poe.

"Rey…"

"If we don't root out the First Order, we'll be right back where we started," she reminded him. "I don't want to fight another war."

"I don't either, Sunshine." He took her hand, ignoring the way his father's brows shot up. He knew she was right, but he didn't have to like it. "Since we're here already, Rey and I will check out the old base; see if anything's usable. Then we'll consider our options. Got that, Lieutenant?"

Connix nodded. "And in the meantime?"

"Get me a list of other possible systems. We'll need to start negotiating with the locals. See if Zorii can help us out with supplies."

"On it. Connix, out." The holo went dead; Poe snatched the it off the table.

"Well, Sunshine, you up to doing some work today?"

Rey smiled; she liked the idea of them being partners. "Lead on, General Dameron."

They had to borrow one of Kes's speeders to get to the base. It lay to the south of the Dameron farm, concealed by heavy jungle. Rey carried her new lightsaber; Poe had his blaster. They didn't expect trouble, but they'd both seen too much. Rey let Poe handle the controls; she was fascinated by some of the species they passed. Poe provided a running commentary, enjoying the way her eyes lit up.

"What are those?" She pointed at a couple of monkey like creatures swinging from the trees nearby.

Poe shuddered. "Woolamanders," he said briskly.

Rey frowned. "Do you not like…woolamanders?"

"Not especially." It was a dislike that stemmed from childhood. "They're friendly enough though, if you like them climbing all over you."

Rey giggled; she could imagine a young Poe covered in such creatures. "Sorry," she said when he mock glared at her. "You were cute as a kid."

Poe laughed. "I like to think so."

She rolled her eyes. "Modesty can be attractive, you know."

"I can be modest!"

"When?" she demanded.

Poe brought the speeder to a stop. "I'm doing a good impression, but I'm no general, Rey. I'm a fighter pilot. I've always been a fighter pilot. The truth is, I have no karking idea how to fix the galaxy, yet everyone seems to think I have all the answers."

Rey took his hand. "I feel the same way about the Jedi. I know there are others out there like me and I want to help them, but I'm just one person. How can do it by myself?"

Poe kissed her forehead. "Maybe we shouldn't do anything alone. Maybe we should do them together. I'm not sure how helpful I can be with the Force stuff, but…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not like you, Sunshine. I thought we established this."

"Everyone has the Force to some extent, Poe. _Everyone._ It's what binds the galaxy together and you are part of the galaxy."

"I don't see myself lifting rocks anytime soon."

She smiled. "Maybe not, but you are the best pilot in the Resistance."

Poe cocked his head. "Wait, so you're saying…"

"The Force guides us all, Poe. Even you."

"And here I thought I was just lucky. And good. Always good." He smiled the cocky grin that would have driven her crazy a few days ago, but now she secretly loved it.

She rolled her eyes, but she kissed his scruffy cheek. "You are both of those things. You just get a little nudge now and then."

"Okay. I can handle that." He kissed her temple. Her words sparked something. "Maybe that's how I knew you were having a nightmare," he mused. "I just had a feeling."

Rey nodded, considering as Poe restarted the speeder. He could be right. They were closer now than they'd ever been; she was definitely more attuned to his emotions. She supposed the reverse could be true. She'd have to look through the books, see if it was anything to worry about. She trusted Poe, but she was leery of Force bonds after what happened with Ben.

"I think this is it," Poe said a little bit later. A large Massassi temple loomed above them; it was partially caved in on one side.

"You think?"

"It's been a while! I was…thirteen or so the last time I was here." So, twenty years. Rey was twenty. _Don't think about that,_ he scolded himself. _She doesn't care about that!_

Rey reached out and squeezed his hand. She didn't know why he was so fixated on their age difference. It didn't matter to her. In fact, she liked that he was a bit older. All she cared about was his heart. Poe was loyal and kind, passionate about the things he believed in. Sure, he could be a little hot headed, but so was she. She liked spending time with him now that they weren't arguing constantly.

Poe hopped down from speeder; Rey followed. Together, they walked around the perimeter of the temple; it was more overgrown than Poe remembered. It would take some cleaning up to make the area useful. There was no telling the state of the interior until they got inside.

"Well, that's not good."

Rey examined the spot where Poe pointed. "That the entrance?"

"Yeah, minus the huge trees."

"Let me see." She took a deep breath, centering herself. She felt the Force come to life around her, flowing into her hands. She concentrated on the trees, willing them to rise. It was a little harder than she expected—they were old and heavy, almost stone like—but slowly, they rose. Eyes still closed, she twisted, moving them to her left.

"You are _incredible."_

Rey flushed, not used to such open praise from him. "They're just trees."

"Sunshine, I'm not talking about the trees, though that was impressive." He smiled at her. "I'm talking about _you._ Your kindness, your strength, your heart. All of that makes you special. That's what makes you my Sunshine. If you, uh, want to be, of course." He loved her so much; any thought of being smooth or suave went out the window. Everything that happened to him led him here. To _her._

She'd never been in love before. She'd never experienced it, but she was pretty sure this was what it felt like. She loved Finn and Chewie and Rose; she loved Leia. She remembered loving her parents. This was different. She remembered how it felt that morning, waking up in his arms. He made her feel like she could accomplish anything, like she was his whole world. It was exciting and frightening at the same time; she didn't want to disappoint him.

"Poe, there's something I should tell you."

He pressed a finger to her lips. "Tell me after we finish this, okay? Then I'm all yours." He could tell that whatever she needed to say was important; he wanted to give her his full attention. She deserved that.

She nodded. "Okay."

The blast doors were sealed shut; Poe tried some of the old codes Leia had given him, but none of them worked. "Guess we'll have to do this the hard way." He pried open the access panel and started yanking wires.

Rey watched as he worked. "Did Poe the spice runner learn that?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I was young and stupid. Made a lot of bad choices back then."

"How young?"

He wasn't sure he liked this honesty thing. "Sixteen. I wanted to get off this rock, typical teenage rebellion. I was already a pretty good pilot, but Papa was against me leaving. So, I ran away."

"Why did you come back?"

He paused his work. "I wised up. We started taking jobs I wasn't comfortable with. Got out before I did anything I'd regret. Worked here on the farm for a few years to make up for my stupidity before joining up with the New Republic."

She kissed her cheek. "Thanks for telling me."

"I didn't like who I was back then, Sunshine. Even now, I still make boneheaded choices." The mutiny on the Raddus came to mind. He regretted that to this day. "But Papa always says that it how you move forward that shows who you really are."

She ran her fingers through his hair. "You're a good man, Poe Dameron."

He smiled at her, her words making his chest hurt. He wanted to be the kind of man who deserved someone like her. He returned to his task before he embarrassed himself. Another few minutes finally got the door open. The old steel creaked; the hydraulics hissed. There was just enough power to get the doors open.

"The generator's probably dead," Poe muttered.

"It's been what? Thirty years?"

"Little more than that, but yeah." He lit his flashlight; Rey ignited her lightsaber. "Show off."

She just grinned at him and led the way inside. There was cobwebs everywhere; it smelled strongly of fungus. They wrinkled their noses simultaneously; Poe mused how much cuter she was when she did that. He wisely kept his mouth shut though. It appeared they came in through the hanger; there were stacks of old crates filled with parts, a couple of ancient looking X-wings. Rey wandered off to see what could be salvaged; Poe headed deeper into the base.

He could almost feel the history. He knew the stories. The ragtag Rebellion with stolen plans. The mighty Death Star approaching the base, intent on blowing it to bits. The repeated runs at the exhaust port; shots missing, glancing off the shielding. Sometimes he would replay the Battle of Yavin in his front yard, with him at the helm of an X-wing. He was the one taking the shot; he got the medal from the beautiful princess. The reality was different; he knew that. But he'd been young and stupid once, not fully realizing the horrors of war.

He'd done what Luke did. He'd made the shot that allowed them to destroy the Starkiller. He hadn't gotten a medal though. There was no princess waiting for him. Instead, he'd gotten cocky, thought he knew it all and almost ruined everything. He spent the last year becoming better, wiser; he wasn't sure he succeeded. But they'd won all the same. They'd lost too many, far too many, but all they could do was move forward. Make those sacrifices worth something.

He pushed open a door; sunlight nearly blinded him. The room was cavernous, but time had done a number on it. Vines winded their way through the cracks; the glass was broken in some places. _This is it,_ he thought. _This is the throne room._

He could almost see it in his mind's eye, the Rebellion drawn up on either side, Leia and the other Rebel leaders up on the dais. He'd seen holos of his mentor when she was young; she was quite beautiful. He knew that wasn't all she was; Leia was one of the most extraordinary people he'd ever met. She lost so much, yet she found a way to keep going, right until the end. Thinking of Leia was still painful; he missed her. Rey said she was proud; he wished he could have spoken to her. There was so much he still didn't know.

It was only the fate of the galaxy that was at stake.

"Here you are."

Poe turned; he hadn't realized he walked all the way up the stairs. Stairs Luke Skywalker and Han Solo had walked as heroes. He didn't feel much like a hero. "I didn't think I'd ever actually see this place," he said, gesturing around him.

"Why is it so significant?"

He sometimes forgot that she hadn't grown up with the stories. She'd thought Luke Skywalker was a myth until she met Han. "This is where Luke and Han received their heroes' welcome after the Battle of Yavin."

That got her attention. She looked around with new eyes; he wondered if she could see an echo of it through the Force. "They were so young."

"I'm practically an old man in comparison."

Rey shot him a look. "You're almost the same age Han was, I think. That's not old."

"Really?"

She climbed the stairs, joining him on the dais. "Does it bother you that much?"

"What? That you're younger than me? Kriff, no, Rey. You've seen more life than some people twice your age. The fact that you're as good as you are is a miracle. It's one of the things lo…like most about you." _Don't use that word yet. What are you trying to do? Run her off?_

Rey shifted uncomfortably. Would the truth ruin his good opinion of her? He believed she was good, but she was flawed like anyone else. She knew darkness. She'd turned away from it, but it was still there. She couldn't change her past, no matter what name she used now.

"Sunshine, what's wrong?" He tipped her chin up gently, coaxing her to look at him.

She took a deep breath. "Poe, I really need to tell you something. I know you said later, but I can't wait anymore. Just…hear me out, okay?"

He guided her to sit down on the steps; he followed, slightly worried. She seemed really concerned about whatever it was she needed to say. "Is this about Exegol?"

Slowly, she nodded. "I know where I come from. I know what happened to my parents." She looked at her hands as she began the story, her parents hiding her on Jakku, the Emperor's desire to kill her.

"I don't understand. Why would he want you dead?"

"Because he's my grandfather."

Poe's eyes flew wide. Of all the things he expected her to say, _none _of them were that. "Your _grandfather?_ But you told Papa your family name was Skywalker._"_

She nodded helplessly. "That's the name I chose. I didn't even plan on it. I don't want to be Rey from Jakku or Rey Palpatine. Luke and Leia were the parents I always wanted."

Poe caught her hands in his. "Rey, you can use whatever name you want. I think Skywalker suits you."

She stared at their hands. "You saw me use that lightning; it's a Dark Side skill. I did that. I thought I killed Chewie…"

"But you didn't; he's fine. Did you _mean_ to do it?"

"No."

"Rey, you're talking to a man who disobeyed a direct order and started a mutiny. Your past doesn't define who you are."

He said that now. He still didn't know everything. "There's more." Slowly, haltingly, it came out. Everything that happened since she took the skimmer over to the wreck of the second Death Star. Battling Kylo Ren. Discovering her past. Running to Ahch-to. Master Luke convincing her to face her fear and confront Palpatine. When she got to the part about the battle that raged above her head, the one Poe led, he squeezed gently.

"I would have done it," she confessed. "If it meant saving all of you, I would have taken his place."

Poe didn't know what to say. Finn had been right. He was trying to wrap his head around everything, but it was a lot to take in. "I'm glad you didn't, Sunshine."

"The only reason I didn't was because an ally arrived."

"An ally? Who?"

Their eyes locked and held. "Ben Solo." When Poe still looked confused, she clarified. "You know him as Kylo Ren."

Poe jumped up, bile in his throat. "Kylo Ren was Leia's son?!"

"Yes."

Poe ran his fingers through his hair. "That means she knew…" His voice hardened. "She knew what he'd done to me. To you. To all those other people. He killed his own father!"

"I know. She wanted to tell you, but she knew you couldn't be objective."

"Objective?" Poe spat. "He rooted around in my head while I was helplessly strapped to a table. You, of all people, know what that feels like."

"I do. He did terrible things. Unforgivable things. But he saved my life, Poe. More than once."

"Don't make him sound like some hero. He was a monster."

She was afraid this would happen. Poe's distress and anger were completely understandable. His mentor kept something from him, something important. She'd kept something from him. She knew she had to finish the story. It may cost them any hope of a future, but Poe deserved the truth. She returned to her tale, the Dyad, the rejuvenated emperor, the Force lightening. She watched as comprehension flickered across his face, no doubt reliving his end of the battle.

His gaze softened as she spoke of the fallen Jedi who spoke to her, helping her find the strength to get back up. The twin lightsabers, the lightening, and then it was over.

"I knew you could do it."

She smiled faintly. "It cost me everything."

"I don't understand."

She looked away. "I died, Poe."

"What?"

"I died," she repeated.

"But you…you…you're standing right here!"

"Only because Ben brought me back. He used the last of his life force to bring me back. He gave his life for mine."

"Wait, you're telling me that _Kylo Ren_ brought you back to life?" She nodded, looking utterly forlorn. A stone of despair settled in his stomach. Suddenly, he didn't want to know any more. He didn't know what he would do if she had feelings for that…person. He couldn't think of him Ben Solo; he _couldn't._

"This next part might be hard for you to hear. But it's not what you think."

"That's not exactly inspiring confidence, Sunshine."

He was still using her nickname. There was still hope! "When I…realized what happened, I kissed him." Poe stared at her, shock etched into his features. She hated that look. "I've spent the last few days trying to figure out why. Because you're right. Kylo Ren was a monster. He needed to answer for the things he did. I think deep down, he knew it too. He didn't have to bring me back, but he did. It doesn't make up for anything, but I'm grateful he did. Because it brought me back to my family. My true family."

Poe desperately wanted to believe her. She was near tears; it cost her dearly to tell him the truth. Suddenly, the last couple of days made more sense. Her nightmare, her reaction to his accident. She died herself; of course, she didn't want to lose anyone else.

Still, there was one thing he needed to know. "Did you love him?"

Rey shook her head. "No."

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His head was spinning; it was a lot to take in. He was torn between taking her in his arms, never letting go and needing a minute. Or several. "Kriff, Sunshine," he breathed, shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry. I knew I needed to tell you the truth; I couldn't let this go any farther until I did. You deserve that."

"Go any farther?"

"Us. I'd understand if you changed your mind."

Change his mind? Was she insane? If she thought that was going to scare him off, then he needed to disabuse her of that notion. He was surprised, sure, but she _died._ The man he hated gave her back to him, to Finn, to all of them. The galaxy was a better place with Rey in it, of that he was sure. He was better with her in his life.

"There's nothing to change, Rey. Don't you understand? I'm in love with you."

She blinked. On some level, she'd realized that. But to hear him say it… "Could you say that again?"

He smiled. "I'm in love with you, Rey Skywalker, Rey of Jakku, Rey Palpatine. I don't care what you call yourself as long as I get to stand beside you."

"You really mean that, don't you?"

He silently cursed anyone who ever made her feel unloved or unworthy. "Here, I'll show you." He closed the space between them and kissed her. Instinctively, she grabbed his forearms, as her knees suddenly had trouble holding her up. It was unlike any of the kisses they'd shared before; this one was filled with love and promise. Rey curled herself around him, arms sliding around his neck. She'd been so afraid of losing him, but he was still here. She needed him to know that he meant just as much to her.

"I love you," she whispered.

Poe grinned at her. "I know."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: **Once again, thank you for all the positive comments on this story! Two things about this chapter. First, we're earning the rating in this one folks. Those of you who know my other stories will be zero percent shocked. Second, there is a scene in this chapter that was enabled by the folks over at the Damerey Discord. I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine.

**Chapter 3**

"I thought I'd find you here."

Rey opened her eyes; Poe stood a few feet away, an indulgent smile on his face. "Sorry, I was meditating." Ever since Poe had shown her the Force tree, she'd been drawn to it. It was her favorite place on Yavin—aside from Poe's arms, of course. But she had the latter to look forward to even after they left here. It was a thought that warmed her all the way to her toes.

They'd been on Yavin longer than either of them anticipated. Having determined that the old Rebel base was salvageable as a staging area for a couple of squadrons, Poe felt it was a good idea supervise the work himself. Rey wasn't fooled, though. The longer they stayed on Yavin, less either of them wanted to return to Ajan Kloss. The current home of the Resistance was a reminder of everything they'd lost as well as the struggle that still awaited them.

"Is it time?"

Poe sat down beside her; she sighed as he wrapped his arm across her shoulders. "Falcon's ready to go. Papa made sure to load us up with enough koyo to feed a small army."

Rey smiled to herself. She'd come to love Kes Dameron in the short time they'd visited. He hadn't seemed at all surprised by the change in the couple's relationship. He welcomed Rey as family. She would miss him. "We'll probably need it."

Poe mock groaned. "Don't remind me." They'd probably lingered on Yavin a few days too long, but Poe didn't care. The rest of the galaxy could wait. He wanted a little more time with his Jedi before he had to share her with everyone else.

"Who knows? Connix may kill us both," Rey teased, her fingertips circling his knee.

Poe barked a laugh. "She can try. She's definitely not getting the drop on _you_ and you'd protect me, right?"

Rey shrugged. "I dunno. Depends."

"On _what?" _he demanded.

She giggled. His reaction was priceless. She loved that they could tease each other like this now. "Hmm, maybe you should kiss me and find out."

Poe's shock melted instantly. Rey squealed as he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her into his lap. She clung to his broad shoulders as he kissed her firmly, his hands sliding up her back. She melted into him, kissing him back lazily. She carded her fingers through his messy curls; they were slightly damp from sweat. Whatever he'd been doing, he'd been working hard.

Poe's fingers danced along her spine; he bit back a groan as she wriggled in his lap. He had no doubt now that she knew exactly how she affected him. They hadn't _talked _about it per se—when they were alone, they sometimes forgot about talking entirely. It was heady, the way she made him feel. For someone who'd spent the majority of her life alone, Rey had thrown herself into this with both feet. To his surprise, _he _was the one who insisted they take things at least a _little_ slow. He wanted to savor the little milestones, the firsts, because deep down, he knew he wouldn't experience those firsts again with anyone else. She was _it._

"Do I pass muster, Master Jedi?" he asked, slightly breathless.

Rey shivered as his fingers toyed with the hem of her tunic. "You'll do."

He laughed, a warm rich sound. "You'll pay for that later, Sunshine."

"Oh really?"

"I intend to challenge you to a game of holochess once we're in hyperspace."

Rey beamed at him. "You know I've been playing against Chewie, right?"

"Chewie c_heats._ Ask Finn."

"He does not!"

"Oh, yes, he does! No one can win _all_ the time."

"You must have a death wish, to antagonize a Wookie."

Poe shook his head. "Chewie loves me."

"Sure, he does."

"He does!" Hadn't they copiloted the Falcon numerous times? Hadn't Poe and Finn rescued him from the First Order?

"So full of yourself," she huffed.

"And yet, you love me anyway." He grinned up at her, still a bit surprised that he could say that with such confidence. Her confession about Exegol only made him love her more. She was so strong; she had to be to be as good as she was. Her lineage was meaningless. He knew exactly who she was; she was light and hope and joy. And when she doubted herself, he would be there, just as she was for him.

She kissed him sweetly. "Lucky for you, flyboy."

He hugged her close. "I don't want to leave."

She stroked his curls soothingly. "I don't either," she confessed. But they had to. They had responsibilities, people relying on them.

Poe buried his nose in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but it was far, far too soon. He wanted to tell her how he imagined their future. He could see them returning to Yavin for good, perhaps found a school so Rey could train new Jedi. He wasn't sure about being a farmer, but he could train new pilots. Above all else, he imagined them _together_, his mother's ring on her finger. Maybe some kids. He'd leave that up her; he didn't _need_ them to be happy.

She was more than enough.

"Poe?"

"Hmm?"

There was one thing they hadn't really talked about. "What happens when we get back?"

He knew she wasn't talking about tracking down First Order holdouts or tedious negotiations. "Well, Finn already knows about us. I don't want to hide, do you?"

She shook her head vehemently. "I don't either."

Poe grinned. "Not afraid to be seen with the old man?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're not afraid to be seen with a Jedi?" She knew the old Jedi code. Attachments were forbidden. She was definitely attached to the man holding her. She didn't think she was bound to the old ways. The old ways hadn't worked, that much was clear. The galaxy needed a fresh start; so did she. She couldn't imagine it with anyone else.

"I'm not afraid to be seen with _you."_ He was sure some people would be taken aback; they were notorious around the Resistance camp for their bickering. But who cared what anyone else thought?

"What about…?"

"What about what?"

"Me? Who I really am?" Poe knew the truth now; he loved her anyway. She hadn't told Finn yet; it was too personal a conversation for a holo. Having told the story once, she felt better about it somehow. Like it had been a poison in her system that she needed to purge.

Poe stroked the apple of her cheek. "You can tell or not tell anyone you want. You don't owe anyone anything, Rey. The people who care about you, we already know who you are. Where you come from doesn't matter."

Rey still felt unsure. "It did for Leia. When the galaxy found out she was Vader's daughter…"

"Hells take the rest of the galaxy." Poe was still a bit conflicted about his mentor. Part of him understood why she'd kept the truth a secret. And yet…the truth hurt. Would Poe's feelings toward Kylo Ren have changed if he knew the man was Leia's son? He didn't know. He still hated Kylo Ren. That wouldn't change. Not only for Poe's own suffering, but everyone else's. Especially the woman in his arms. "You are whoever you want to be, Rey. And anyone who has a problem with that will have to go through me. And Finn. Rose and Chewie too, probably. You're not alone anymore, Sunshine."

Rey leaned in and gently kissed him. "You're not alone either. We do this together."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "Together."

* * *

"Be well, mijo. I'm so proud of you." Kes hugged his son tightly; neither knew when they would see each other again. The war may be over, but the galaxy wasn't at peace. His son was one of the people who would try to put it back together; he prayed they didn't make the same mistakes his generation had.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Poe promised. "Finn's dying to meet you."

Kes laughed. "All of you are welcome, any time."

Poe headed up the gangway of the Falcon, leaving Rey to have a moment with his dad. Kes already treated her like the daughter he never had; Poe appreciated it. Like him, Kes hadn't blinked when Rey revealed the truth of her past.

Rey hugged the elder Dameron. "Thank you for everything," she whispered. "It means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, hija. You keep him in line. Don't let him get away with anything."

She giggled when Kes winked at her. "I won't, I promise." She hugged him one final time, then she followed BB-8 up the gangway. Poe was in the left hand seat when she arrived in the cockpit. "And just what do you think you're doing?"

Poe hopped up, a grin on his face. "Just getting her ready for you, Sunshine."

Rey rolled her eyes. "Sure, you were."

"I was!" Poe plopped down in the co-pilot's seat. "Fine. Don't believe me." He crossed his arms, pretending to be very put out.

Rey slipped easily into the pilot's seat. She wanted to play along, but he was making it difficult. He was cute when he pouted. "You've said it yourself; you're not a very good co-pilot."

"I'm used to being the only one _in_ the cockpit, sweetheart. This isn't natural."

"I'll be sure to tell Chewie you said that." She relished teasing him; he actually _had _done a good job prepping the Falcon. The old ship started up easily, rising from the pad as she gently pulled on the yoke.

"I thought you liked my arms exactly where they were," Poe shot back. "I see how it is."

She laughed. "Always so dramatic, General."

Poe worked the controls on his side of the console, getting them ready for hyperspace. "Chewie's scary."

"I thought he loved you?"

"He does. He just loves you more."

In spite of their bickering, they worked seamlessly together to get the Falcon into hyperspace. Once the stars were zooming by, Rey leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for getting her ready."

Poe double checked the switches before he followed her out into the main living area. It would be several hours until they got to Ajan Kloss; he planned on savoring every minute. "Chess or lunch?"

"Do we have anything aside from rations?"

"If I know Papa, he left something for us." Sure enough, a basket filled with Yavinese fruit and dried meats was in one of the drawers in the galley. "See?"

"That was nice of him."

"He used to do this all the time when I was kid." Poe was an outdoor kid; he was always outside getting into some mischief or other. Rather than try to reign in his son, Kes indulged him, leaving snacks nearby when the weather was good. "And look, koyo juice!"

They set up their small feast on the holochess table; Chewie would have scolded them if he'd been present. But aside from the cockpit, this was Rey's favorite room on the ship. It was where Han had told her and Finn that the legends were true; it was the first place where she'd felt like she belonged to something. Her life had changed so much since she found BB-8 on the sands of Jakku. It sometimes didn't feel real.

"What are you thinking about?"

Rey took a pull of the koyo juice. "Wondering if I'll wake up on Jakku and discover this was all a dream."

Poe slipped his hand into hers. "I promise you, it's not."

She squeezed his fingers. "We have to get this right, Poe. All the suffering, all the loss. We have to make it worth it."

He nodded. "We will, Sunshine."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because we're doing it together. You and me. Finn and Rose. Chewie and Lando. We'll learn from the past; hopefully, not make the same mistakes."

Rey leaned into him, sighing as he wrapped his arm around her. "It feels too big." There were other people out there like her, attuned to the Force. It was her responsibility to help them, but what kind of teacher was she? She was barely a Jedi herself! The old ways felt outdated, but she didn't have the slightest idea how to rebuild.

Poe kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, it does." If he didn't have her beside him, he might be tempted to give into despair. There were thousands—if not millions—of star systems. How could they create a government for all? After the Galactic Civil War, they'd tried to simply recreate the Old Republic, but as Leia lamented, it wasn't enough. Everyone was so exhausted from war; they believed restoring the old was enough. But it wasn't.

Poe believed in democracy. Everyone should have a say. However, in a galaxy with trillions, how did they create something that was fair to all? He wasn't a politician. He was a fighter. He was good at blowing stuff up. He didn't know how to create something new from scratch.

But wasn't that what he and Rey were doing? Starting from scratch? He'd been relationships before—some good, some bad—but this was all new for him. Poe had certainly never been in a relationship like _this._ He'd never been _this_ sure about someone. His path was with Rey; he was certain of it. That, by itself, was scary. Yet he couldn't imagine his life without her in it.

Rey curled up against him; he was warm and solid and comforting. They were both learning as they went; it was nice to not be alone. All she ever wanted was a family, to have people who loved and cared about her. Poe was right; she did already have that. She didn't need to look anywhere else; her family was right here.

"Poe?"

"Hmmm?"

"What does hija mean?"

Poe groaned inwardly. He was going to have a few words with his dad the next time they spoke. "It means 'daughter.'"

Oh. _Oh._ Rey raised her head. "Kes called me that."

"I gathered. I'll holo him when we get back."

"Why?"

"Because it's a hell of a presumption to make, Sunshine."

"You don't have to. I don't mind it."

"But, Rey," Poe tried to protest. She placed a finger to his lips.

"I appreciate you trying to take things slow, but I'm sure about this. About you. About us."

Poe brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "When I was your age, I thought I knew everything too. I just…" He ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't want to be something you regret. The way I feel about you…"

She tilted her head curiously. "How is that?" Poe swallowed, glancing away. She cupped his cheek, coaxing him to look at her. "Hey, it's okay. You can tell me." He always made her feel safe, like she could tell him anything. She wanted to do that for him too.

Poe searched her eyes, surprised by the serenity he saw in them. Serenity and love. Her hazel eyes shined with it; he found himself smiling. "My brave Jedi."

"You're stalling, flyboy." She really wanted to know. He usually wasn't shy about his feelings for her, not anymore. Since his confession at the temple, he told her every day that he loved her. It never failed to make her heart flutter, as silly as that sounded. He was just so damn sincere and charming; she hoarded these moments like gold.

"I've never felt like this," he confided quietly. "Don't get me wrong, I've been in love before." Rey glanced away, her heart giving an irrational squeeze. He, as he helpfully pointed out, was older than her; of course, he'd been in love before. Poe tipped her chin with a finger; now that he'd begun, he needed to get this out. "Hey, look at me, Sunshine." She met his eyes. "This is all new for me. Because with you…I can see a future. As clear as I see you right now. I want it so badly that I'm afraid I'm going to screw everything up."

"What do you see?"

"It's not important right now."

"Well, I say it is."

"Bossy."

"You like it."

He curled a lock of her hair around his finger; she'd taken to wearing it loose, though he suspected that was because he mentioned in passing that he liked it better that way. When they got back, they would need to slip into their roles, him as General, her as Jedi. "It feels so impossible right now," he confessed. "There's so much uncertainty…"

Rey threaded her fingers through his, squeezing gently. "Hey, if the last year has shown me anything, it's that a_nything_ is possible. I died, Poe. The Force brought me back for a reason. My journey's not over. I feel a lot better about that with you at my side. We'll figure this out together. But…it would be nice to know what we're fighting for?"

What could he say to that? There was only one thing he could think of. "I love you, Rey. My only regret is that I didn't tell you sooner. We spent so much time fighting, even then I was falling for you."

She smiled. "We're here now. So, tell me, flyboy. What do you see in the future?"

"Well, most of all, I see us. Together and happy. The setting changes depending on the kind of mood I'm in. I'd kinda like to go back to Yavin one day. Build our own house. Maybe help you start a Jedi school or something."

She smiled. "I think it's called a temple."

"Whatever."

"What would you do?" She could see it in her mind's eye, the two of them building a home together. It was very appealing for a girl who'd never really had a home.

"Me? I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be much of a farmer."

"Well, there is _one_ thing you're really good at," she teased.

"Blowing stuff up?"

"Yeah, but I was thinking of something related to that." She ran his fingertips along his throat, eventually dipping into the open collar of his shirt.

She was tormenting him on purpose! "I'm not the only one here who's a pilot," he pointed out, leaning into her touch. She was getting bolder; he definitely liked it.

"Poe Dameron, being modest?"

"I have it on good authority that it's attractive."

Rey grinned. "It is." She wasn't afraid of the portrait he painted of their future. It appealed to her. A lot. Truthfully, if she were to take on the task of remaking the Jedi Order, Yavin would be her ideal place. She'd never been to Coruscant, but she knew the history. Being too close to the seat of power had corrupted the Order, muddied its mission. Yavin was far from the Core, near the Outer Rim. It could be a haven; the Force was strong there. She was so grateful to Poe for taking her there.

She leaned up, brushing her lips across his. Poe cupped the back of her head, not letting her get away. Rey smiled into his kiss, her fingers curling into his shirt. They kissed lazily, like they had all the time in the world. But they didn't. With each passing second, they were closer to reality; she wasn't ready to lose this yet. Rey shifted her position, once more straddling his lap.

"Sunshine…"

"What? You don't want me in your lap?"

He groaned as she kissed the sensitive spot she'd discovered where his neck met shoulder. "I didn't say that. It's just…"

"Just what?"

It wasn't a matter of not wanting her. He wanted her, badly. But this wasn't the place. That didn't stop him from sliding his hands along her curves. She shivered, arching into his touch. Poe looked so torn, like he was afraid of scaring her off with the power of his love for her. Well, she would just have to show him that she wasn't afraid. Not of him. Not of them together.

Carefully, Rey loosened her belt and dropped it to the floor. Poe watched slightly open mouthed as she unwound her wraps and let them fall to the floor with her hood. She leaned in and kissed him, sweetly at first, her hands dipping into his soft messy locks. Poe groaned, his hands tightening on her waist. "Rey?"

"Shhh. It's okay. You can touch." She wouldn't break. She wanted to share everything with him.

That seemed to break something inside him. In a good way. He kissed her hard, stealing her breath. His hands dipped under her tunic, inching it up her body. Rey kissed him back, relishing his hands on her bare skin. He quickly grew frustrated with the material; Rey laughed breathlessly as she tugged it over her head. Poe ran kisses along her collarbone; Rey liked the way his scruff scratched her skin.

"Oh gods," she gasped, heat building in her core. They'd spent hours alone together, kissing, exploring, but Poe had always gently ended things before they went too far. Now she was certain; he'd been holding back on her!

Poe looked up at her, a question in his eyes. Rey nodded. He unsnapped the clip that held her breast band in place, his eyes locked on hers as he unwound it. She remained still as he worked, sensing how important this was to him. His desire for her was plain to see; she could drown in his deep brown eyes. And she wanted to.

The cloth fell to the floor, leaving her bare from the waist up. She waited with bated breath as he drank her in. "You are _beautiful_," he whispered, placing a kiss over where her heart thrummed in her chest.

She flushed, but she wasn't embarrassed. How could she when Poe looked at her like _that?_ She kissed him again, pushing him back into the cushions. Poe couldn't stop touching her, tracing every patch of exposed skin he could reach. She gasped into his mouth as he deftly circled her areolas with his thumbs. They tightened under his touch; Rey tightened her grip on his hair. "Kriff," she cursed. She felt hot all over, her body tingling in ways she'd never experienced.

"Too much?" Poe asked, concerned.

She shook her head hard. "No," she breathed. "Don't stop."

Poe kissed her again, awed that she was placing so much trust in him. He loved her so, so much. He ran kisses along her jaw, down her neck. Rey arched, running her fingers through his hair. She hummed in pleasure as he palmed her breasts, his thumbs stroking her nipples until they were hard aching points. She moved instinctively, grinding against him, seeking relief from the ache that built inside her. He was hard and firm between her legs; there was no doubt that he wanted her.

Poe groaned; she was killing him slowly. His pants were almost painfully tight, but he was far more invested in her pleasure than his own. "Still okay, sweetheart?"

She nodded. "More than okay," she replied honestly. His dark curls were a mess, hanging over his forehead. His eyes were almost black yet filled with love. She also thought he'd never looked more handsome. He kissed his way down her sternum; he could feel her heart racing. He kept his eyes on hers as he traced the curve of her breast with his lips, cataloging every whine, gasp and moan.

Her eyes fluttered shut, sensation nearly overwhelming her. Pressure coiled in her belly, pressure that begged to be released. She trusted Poe though. He would take care of her.

The way she was wriggling in his lap nearly had him undone, like he was fifteen again. He curled his fingers into the waistband of her pants. "Sweetheart, may I?"

It took her a moment to realize he asked a question. "Hmm?" He tugged on her pants again, his eyebrow arched questioningly. "Oh. Yes. Please."

Poe lifted her up, so she was perched on the chess table. She panted as he removed her boots and gently pulled down the material covering her legs. And he _stopped._

She was exquisite.

Her normally pale flesh was flushed with arousal; she stared back at him with heavy lidded eyes. He must have stared longer than he realized, because she started to squirm. "Poe?"

He leaned forward and kissed the delicate skin of her inner thigh. "Sorry. You are simply…I've never seen anything so stunning."

Rey flushed harder. "Stop it." She'd never been completely nude with a man before; the way he was looking at her embarrassed her and emboldened her at the same time. She was vulnerable in an entirely new way, but she wasn't afraid. Not with him.

Poe stood and leaned over her, planting a soft kiss to her belly, just above her small thatch of dark curls. He didn't stop, moving higher and higher, his lips worshiping her. Rey curled her fingers around the round edge of the table, pleasure rolling through her. "Next time," he promised. "There will be a bed. And a locked door." He found her lips; she kissed him back, the rough material of his clothes sending shivers all over her.

"Why do you still have clothes on?" she whispered.

Poe groaned. "Don't tempt me, Sunshine." The strain against his fly was the only thing keeping him in check; he could feel how much she wanted him.

"Why not?"

"Because I'd like the first time I make love to you to be special." It might make him sound like a sappy romantic, but he didn't care. "Because I hope it's the last first time I ever have."

Her eyes widened as she drank in his meaning. He was so s_ure_ about her, about _them_. In that moment, she fell in love with him all over again. Since it meant that much to him, she could grant him such a simple request. "Okay."

"Yeah?"

"You're not gonna leave me hanging though, right?" she added, smirking up at him.

He smirked right back. "I never leave anyone hanging, sweetheart." He kissed her deeply, pouring all the passion he had for her into it. She shivered as his hands memorized her curves, seeking all the little sensitive places that made her moan. "Trust me?" he whispered.

"Always."

He smiled once more before resuming his exploration of her with his mouth. She knew her skin would carry marks after; his stubble was course and rough on her overheated skin. He moved lower this time, gently easing her legs apart. She fought the urge to close them; she trusted him. He seemed to sense her nerves; he placed another gentle kiss to her thigh. "You can still change your mind."

She shook her head. "Don't get shy on me now, flyboy."

Poe perched himself on the edge of the seat, his eyes fluttering shut as he inhaled her unique scent. His fingers inched closer and closer to her core; Rey let out a half whine, half moan as he deftly stroked her swollen flesh. "Kriffing hell," he bit out. She was drenching his fingers; her flesh soaked and slippery. He worked her slowly, cataloging an entirely different set of sounds that fell from her lips.

"Please," she panted, not entirely sure what she was pleading _for._ She felt like she was hanging on the edge of something incredible, but she couldn't quite get there.

"Hang on, Sunshine. I've got you." Poe lowered his mouth to her sex, eager to taste her. Rey gasped in surprise, her hips nearly arching off the table. She cursed, a shudder rolling through her as Poe's hand went to her belly to hold her still. She never expected him to do _that_, but it felt too good. She writhed in his hold, her head thrashing.

"Poe, oh _gods,"_ she chanted. _"Oh gods."_

"That's it, sweetheart. Let go any time you want." He was enjoying himself far more than he should; she tasted even better than he imagined. He latched onto her swollen tub, teasing it with his tongue as he sank two fingers inside her. She gripped the digits like a vice, walls slick and tight, already starting to flutter. He groaned; she was going to feel incredible around him.

Later. Not now.

Rey couldn't stay still, her hips rolling and grinding, desperate for more friction, more sensations, just _more._ She'd never felt anything like this; she never wanted it to end. Still, the wave climbed higher and higher, threatening to drown her. Poe could feel her trembling, right on the edge. He gave her nub one last hard suck and Rey arched, her strangled cry of pleasure filling the room. She felt like she was flying, and it had nothing to do with the Force.

Poe brought her down slowly, placing a loving kiss to her belly. "You are amazing," he praised, honored that she'd given him such an extraordinary gift.

Rey hummed in response; she could barely remember her name, let alone form coherent thoughts. She'd never been this intimate with anyone before, but she liked it. When she opened her eyes, Poe was smiling down at her, his hair utterly wrecked from her fingers. "Um, hey."

"Hey yourself."

"That was, um…"

"Careful now, sweetheart," he teased gently. "My ego's fragile."

She rolled her eyes. "I doubt that, flyboy." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Your hair's a mess. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." He brushed his lips across her brow. "You okay? I'm gonna go, um…" His own arousal had only abated slightly; he was still wound pretty tightly.

She frowned. Unbidden, her eyes dropped to his crotch. His erection was plain to see; it had to be painful. She started to reach out, but Poe stopped her. She looked up at him, confused. And, if she was being honest, a little hurt. "Poe?"

It hit him belatedly that—in trying to be a gentleman—he'd hurt her feelings. "It's not what you think," he swore, helping her sit up. "I promise." She took that as a good sign and brushed her hand over the front of his pants. "Kriff, you're not making this easy."

"When I have I ever?"

He laughed, a strangled needy sound. "Good point."

Encouraged, she stroked more firmly. "You got to explore," she reminded him.

He stood between her splayed thighs, his hands on her waist. "I know, Sunshine. And I want you to, believe me." He groaned as she pressed harder, his erection suddenly back at full mast. "Ugh."

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, you're perfect." He kissed her deeply, ignoring that her taste still lingered on his lips. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, her cheeks flushing. "I want to make you feel good."

He was certain there was a special hell somewhere just for him. Still, he gave in, helping her unfasten his fly. Poe groaned loudly as she took him into her hand, nearly coming on the spot. He breathed deeply, letting her do whatever she wanted.

Rey bit her lip, taking him in for the first time. Beings around the Niima Outpost weren't especially modest; she'd seen things a child probably wasn't supposed to. She'd caught glimpses of nude humanoid men before, so she had an idea of what to expect. Poe was almost trembling against her, his hand wrapped possessively around her waist as she stroked him. She wasn't sure she was doing it right at first, based on the little strangled sounds he was making. "Is this okay?"

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Just having her hand on his cock was making him crazy. When she hesitated, he curled his hand around hers and guided her a little. Precum leaked out, making things more messy and slippery. Poe grit his teeth, fighting the urge to rock into her hand. "Faster," he panted softly. "Please, Rey, I'm so close…"

She did as he asked, using the slight twisting motion he showed her. She was mesmerized by his face, his handsome features contorted, almost in a grimace. She watched as his high washed over him, his soft moan of pleasure almost sounded like her name. She wasn't prepared for the mess he made; his sticky essence coated her hand and splashed over her belly and thighs.

Poe leaned his forehead against hers, breathing hard. He hardly knew what to say or think—he wasn't thinking much of anything at the moment. Aside from how much he adored this woman who believed he was worthy of her love.

"So, that was…"

"Good," he confirmed, kissing her forehead. "Better than, even." He looked down. "Oops. Shoulda probably warned you about that." He was beet red now, embarrassed because he thought _she_ was embarrassed. "Here, I'll get us cleaned up. You stay there."

Rey smiled to herself; he was endearing like this. She'd been surprised, but she didn't think he needed to be embarrassed or anything. If they were going to be together, then intimacy was a part of that. She was looking forward to spending more time learning exactly what made her pilot tick.

"Sorry about the mess," he apologized again. His pants were righted; his hair was still a riot of messy curls. "I just wasn't expecting you…me…"

Rey silenced him with a kiss. "You don't have to apologize. In case you missed it, I was a very active participant in…this."

He chuckled. "I definitely didn't miss that, sweetheart."

"Good, because I was starting to think you were getting old!"

Poe's eyes widened in surprise. She was making fun of him! "I'll give you old, Sunshine," he growled before kissing her. She surrendered to him easily; she did love it when he kissed her like this, like she was the only person in the entire galaxy. "You were saying?"

"Definitely not old." She cupped his cheek, holding his warm gaze. She wasn't as comfortable saying the words as he was, but she felt them all the same. "I love you."

Poe leaned into her touch, letting those words wash over him. She didn't say it often, but he didn't mind. She didn't need to say them for him to know how she felt. It happened so fast, but it felt right. Being with her felt right. "I love you too." He turned his head and kissed her palm. "You should probably get dressed."

"What? Oh, right." Now she was a little embarrassed. Because she totally forgot. Poe made her forget little things like _clothes._ "Chewie is going to kill us both if he finds out what we did," she observed as she hopped down and scooped up her clothes.

"We definitely shouldn't tell him then!" Poe called as he watched her walk toward the captain's suite. Rey was right though. Poe would never be able to look at the chess table the same way again. He got to work cleaning it, scrubbing it down twice while Rey was in the fresher. How sensitive was a Wookie's sense of smell? Did the scent of sex hang in the air? He couldn't tell. They would just have to hope for the best.

Poe was waiting for her when Rey returned to the cockpit. She looked like herself again, wraps arranged artfully, her hair up in its three buns. Only now, there was an extra flush to her cheek that Poe quite liked. "Squeaky clean?" he asked innocently.

"Mmhmm," she confirmed, trying (and failing) to hide her smile.

"You probably shouldn't smile like that at the base or people will think you got lucky."

"And what about you?" she shot back. "You look like a sintaril about to chase down its prey!"

"Don't have to chase anything, sweetheart. You're right here."

He was grinning that stupid, all-too-pleased-with-himself grin; she shoved playfully at his shoulder. "You're impossible."

"Though, to be fair, I would. Chase you, I mean."

"Huh?"

Poe's hand sought hers. "I've been chasing you, Rey. I just didn't realize it."

She squeezed his hand. "Well, you don't have to anymore."

"Oh, I think I'll always be chasing you. Nothing would make me happier."

It sounded strange to her, but she decided to take his word for it. He did have a bit more experience with these things than she did. Their relationship had changed so much in just a few days; she did worry a bit about how others would react. She was certain her feelings were all over her face. Whatever happened, there were sure to be plenty of broken hearts and dashed dreams all over Ajan Kloss.

* * *

"Rey! Poe! You're back!"

Finn barely let them get to bottom of the gangway before wrapping them both in a big hug. "Yeah, we missed you too, buddy," Poe said, laughing. It was good to see his friend again. For a little while, he'd been worried about how Finn would take the change in Poe's relationship with Rey. But he was the same Finn, infectious enthusiasm and all.

"See?" Rey teased. "We can get along."

Finn held them both by the shoulder. "That's good because we really need our fearless leader."

Poe scoffed. "Things look alright to me." BB-8 rolled right past them, chirping excitedly. Poe grinned as he found R2-D2 and Threepio; he'd clearly missed his friends too.

"Connix is about to start ripping people's heads off," Finn warned.

"When did you get back? I'm not the only General around here, remember?" It was too much responsibility for one person; it was why he asked his best friend to help him shoulder it to begin with. He couldn't imagine anyone other than Finn and Rey to help him put the galaxy back together.

"Those people don't want to talk to me. They want Leia's right hand man."

Poe shook his head. "We'll that's just not gonna work." Yes, Leia might have chosen him, but the Force chose _all_ of them. Every single person who'd fought and struggled and died for the Resistance was important. Not just him. He shared a look with the two most important people in his life and held out his hands. "Together?"

Rey and Finn both grinned, recalling a similar moment. Each of them took Poe's hands and squeezed. "Together," the agreed.

Rey didn't let go of his hand as they started to walk toward the makeshift base. The Tantive IV had seen better days, but Poe was fond of the old ship. She had a history and a lot of character. Poe saw a few people's brows shoot up as they passed, but Rey didn't flinch. She even gave him a reassuring smile. She looked _happy_ which made his heart clench. It was all he wanted now. Sure, rebuilding the galaxy into a safe, just place would be nice, but making Rey happy? If he did that, he would consider his life a life well lived.

"What?" she whispered, slowing just a little.

Poe grinned. "Nothing. Just happy."

"You might want to put on your serious General face, flyboy."

"I have a serious General face?"

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "It's kinda sexy," she whispered in his ear.

Before she even took a step, he tugged her back and kissed her swiftly. If she was going to make him think about _that_, while he was getting ready for a serious conversation with Resistance allies, then he was going to make her think about it too. "I think I've been a bad influence on you, Jedi," he murmured.

She just smiled. "We'll see." Rey tugged gently on his hand; she knew things were about to get serious, but she wanted to remind him that no matter what, they were good. She was there for him.

They could hear the hustle and bustle from the command center; it fell silent as the trio entered the room. "General on deck!" the officer on duty called.

Poe waved them down. "At ease, everyone. Lieutenant, what's our status?"

Connix looked frazzled. There was no other word for it. Guilt curled in his belly; they had stayed away too long. He felt guilty, but he couldn't bring himself to regret those precious few days on Yavin. Everything was different now.

"We've got two squadron's ready to head to Yavin. I've got a list of a two dozen others, prioritizing the ones that have requested assistance. Sir."

"Two _dozen?"_

"Yes, sir."

He had no idea how many ships they had on hand. Most of the ships that showed up for the final battle on Exegol weren't affiliated with any organization, military or otherwise. The ones that survived returned to Ajan Kloss to rest and refit; Poe expected most of those to be gone. Given the crowds of people and ships they saw when they arrived, he'd been wrong about that.

"Okay. Give me the list. I'll review it."

"General, there are also representatives from the Core here to see you."

"Again? What do they want?" There wasn't much of the Core left. Hosnian Prime and Alderaan had already been destroyed. He'd already had meetings with people who claimed to represent the Core; they had gotten nowhere. He wasn't optimistic this would be any different.

"They wouldn't tell me, sir."

Poe groaned inwardly. This was the thing he was looking forward to the least. He didn't know how to build a government; there were people far smarter than him who could figure that out. "Okay. Give me that list and I'll go see what they want."

Connix handed him the holopad, then she returned to whatever tasks she been doing before they came in. She glared pointedly at the few of the other officers; Poe winced. Perhaps it was time she got a promotion? She'd kept everything afloat while he'd been gone. It was hard, considering the Resistance didn't have any official status. He'd have to talk to their guests about that.

"I'm assuming these representatives were the people you were talking about, Finn?" Poe asked as they headed for the nearest lift.

"Yeah. They seem to think Leia had some sort of secret plan."

"Secret plan?"

"About how to rebuild, I guess."

Poe shook his head. "Well, if she did, she sure as hell didn't tell me." Leia had dedicated her life to the good of the galaxy; she'd sacrificed everything. Did she know she wouldn't survive the struggle? Poe _wished_ there was a secret plan, a star map, anything. But there was nothing. The only thing he knew for sure was what _didn't _work.

Rey sensed the unease in him. She didn't know how to help. Finn gave her a little shrug; he was as clueless as she was. At least they would be muddling through together.

Poe led the way to Leia's briefing room. He supposed it was his now, but he would never think of it that way. Leia's presence loomed over everything they did. They had to make her sacrifice worth it. Like Rey said, they owed it to everyone they lost. Poe tried not to think about Snap. He still hadn't talked to Karé; he didn't know how. He knew she'd survived; she was still on the base. And now he'd found love of his own while her husband was dead.

It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

The door hissed open; Rey dropped his hand just before they stepped inside. He missed her warmth, but this wasn't the place for that. They had to the leaders of the Resistance now. Over a dozen heads turned to look as they entered; Poe saw more than one set of eyes flicker to Rey's saber, then widen.

"General Poe Dameron, as promised," Finn said.

One of the men held out his hand; Poe shook it. "Shebom Beph, representative of Onderan. These are my companions, Savia Fyssa and Bryn Has." The others must have been aides, not worthy of mention, at least to this particular windbag. Poe bit back a snarky retort.

"Fyssa? Alderaan?"

Fyssa held out her hand. "The colony. My parents were off world when our home was destroyed."

Poe shook hands with the other representative, then gestured to Finn and Rey. "You've already met my friend, General Finn. This is Rey Skywalker." All three pairs of ears perked up as they looked Rey over. Her face was calm, but Poe could feel the discomfort rolling off her.

"So the rumors are true then?" Beph said. "The Jedi are not dead and buried after all?"

Rey crossed her arms over her chest. Beph was tall, taller than Finn, grey eyes and closely cropped brown hair. He wore formal looking robes; he looked like someone right out one of the holos the First Order used to put out as propaganda. Two of the Core's planets has been destroyed, yet this man showed none of the tell tale signs of war. She wasn't crazy about the way all three of them were appraising her. "I have been trained in the ways of the Jedi, yes."

"But there's just you, isn't there?"

"Why does that matter?" Finn demanded. "Rey destroyed the Emperor! She saved us all!"

"Finn…"

Has stepped forward. "We appreciate your loyalty to your friend, General, but the Jedi of old had thousands in their ranks. They were meant to keep the peace."

"But they failed." It was Fyssa who spoke up. Her voice sounded bitter. "Their incompetence hastened the fall of the Republic. Luke Skywalker did nothing to stop the rise of the First Order. It will be up to mere mortals now."

Poe clenched his fist; this was getting out of hand. "Palpatine was a Sith, yes, but _mere mortals_ were also suckered into his schemes," he growled. "There's more than enough blame to go around. Arguing over the past gets us nowhere. We _must_ learn from those mistakes and move forward. It's the only way. Now, either tell us what the hell you want or get off my base."

The trio of representatives blinked; Poe suspected they'd never been spoken to in such a manner. "We've come as representatives of the New Republic…"

"The New Republic died when Hosnian Prime was destroyed," Poe shot back. "Try again."

"We want to know your intentions," Beph said in a clear voice.

Finn blinked. "Our intentions?"

Fyssa stepped up, her fingers fiddling with the belt at her waist. "The First Order has been destroyed. In its wake is a vacuum. As you, General Dameron, have so elegantly stated, the old ways are dead. The galaxy is on the verge of chaos. We need structure. Something to start building from. Your Resistance is the only organized military in the entire galaxy."

"We're not here for a military dictatorship," Poe said, trying to keep his temper. This woman really rubbed him the wrong way.

"Then what are you here for?"

Poe glanced away. Truthfully, he didn't know the answer. No one ever really talked about what came after because after felt like a pipedream.

Finn stepped up. "We're here to keep the peace until you politicians figure things out."

Has looked skeptical. "Keep the peace? Your little band is going to keep the peace with a handful of fighters and a Jedi?"

Poe stepped up, his jaw set. "Good people died for us to have this chance. When we asked, they came. We cannot fail them. I don't want to run the galaxy. I want to return home to Yavin and settle down. But I would betraying everyone I've lost if I do that before making sure the galaxy they died for is at peace."

That ended the discussion. Their visitors presented several options for the proposed new government, but Poe didn't pay much attention. Finn was far more engaged, as he had been thinking about how to deal with their fallen foes. The First Order troopers had been almost exclusively kidnapped as children, brainwashed and sent to die. Finn wasn't the only one who had overcome his programming; it didn't seem right to lock them all up when their free will had been stolen.

Rey watched as Poe busied himself with the holopad Connix had given him. She wasn't the least bit surprised by his passion, his loyalty to those he loved. It was one of the things she loved best about him. They had unfinished business; they wouldn't be able to enjoy his vision of their future together until it was completed. She started his way, until something Finn said caught her attention.

"What about their families?" Finn demanded. He had his hands braced on the table, his face serious. "I was one of them. I was stolen from my family; I don't even remember them. But each and every one of those troopers belongs somewhere. They have people who have been left wondering for years. Those kids were _stolen._ It's our duty to see them reunited with their loved ones!"

Fyssa looked away. "I understand your pain, General, but…"

Rey stepped up. "How?" she demanded. "How _exactly_ do you understand? You grew up with a family. People who loved you. Finn and I, we had no one. I was sold as a scavenger when I was just a child. Finn was taken, brainwashed, and stripped of his identity. So, tell me, what do you understand?"

"My planet was destroyed by the Empire! An entire world, just gone! And now, Hosnian Prime. You can't expect people who committed those atrocities to simply be accepted back into society. It's not right!"

"The man who ordered the destruction of Hosnian Prime is dead," Rey said firmly. Snoke, Hux, Kylo Ren…they were all dead. As was the man pulling their strings, the Emperor. "Imprisoning brainwashed stormtroopers won't bring them back. It won't bring my parents back. Finn broke free; if he can so can others."

Finn shot her a grateful look. _Thanks,_ he said. Rey and Finn both blinked, realizing in the same instant that he hadn't spoken those words out loud. She just _knew._ That was a little alarming. When Finn told her he was Force sensitive, she wasn't surprised. Somehow, she'd known already. She could feel him, the same way she felt Leia or Luke. It was difficult to tell how sensitive he was at this point, but it seemed to be more than the average person. Was that why he'd shaken off the programming of the First Order?

Her head was spinning just thinking about it.

She turned back to their guests. "My advice? Find a form of government that is fair to e_veryone_, from the Outer Rim to the Core. Or create a bunch of smaller ones. People just want to know that their voices are _heard_."

Has looked up at her from his map. "And you, Master Jedi? What will you do? You are the last."

Rey felt all the eyes on her. Poe was behind her, out of her line of sight, but she felt him. He would support whatever she chose to do; she knew that. "There are others like me," she said carefully. "When all this started, I didn't know about the Force or the Jedi or the Sith. I thought it was all a story. I want to help the others like me, show them that they aren't alone."

"Would you reopen the temple on Coruscant?"

She shook her head. She would visit it, learn from it, but it couldn't be home. Home was wherever her family was. "I would accept anyone who wanted to learn," she said at last. "I want the Jedi to become what they once were, a force for good in the galaxy."

* * *

"Did you mean that?" Finn asked as they headed back down to the hangar. Poe stopped by the command center to make arrangements for the squadrons with Connix; he promised to find them for dinner. Until then, she had time to catch up with her friend.

"What?"

"About the Jedi? Teaching others the ways of the Force."

"Yeah. I think it's what Leia would have wanted."

Finn arched a brow at her. "I don't care what Leia wanted. I want to know what _you_ want."

"I don't want anyone else to go through what I did," she said. "I feel it inside me. All the time. All this power. I was afraid of it for so long, afraid of _myself._ But I'm not anymore. If I can help others, then I will." She wanted to tell him the whole truth, but the middle of the hangar wasn't the place.

Finn seemed to accept that. "So, uh, you and Poe, huh?"

Rey smiled; she couldn't help it. "Yeah."

Finn smiled too. "I knew he had a crush on you, but I never thought he'd actually do something about it."

"You did?" Rey asked, incredulous. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Would you have believed me?"

Rey considered that. "Okay, maybe not, but I'm supposed to be your friend!"

"He's my friend too. It was all I could do to keep the peace between you two. I should have known the moment I left, you would figure things out." Finn was genuinely happy for them. His friends deserved to be happy.

"And you're…alright?" Rey knew that Finn had once harbored a crush on her, so she wanted to make sure he was okay with this.

"Course! Seriously, Rey, we're good. You and Poe are my family. That's never going to change."

Rey hugged Finn tight. "You're my family too, Finn. Always."

Finn grinned. "Does this mean I'm getting invited to Jedi school?"

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe." They did need to test Finn's Force sensitivity, but that could wait.

"Finn! Rey!" Rose waved to them from the far side of the hangar. "Over here!" Rey and Finn jogged over to where Rose was waiting. The mechanic had a grease smudge on her cheek, with more on her hands, but that didn't stop her from hugging Rey tight. "We missed you."

"Missed you too, Rose."

"Everything okay?" Rose asked pointedly.

"Um, yeah?"

"Where's Poe?"

"Hopefully not getting murdered by Connix. Why?" Finn asked.

"Well, there are a couple of people who have been very keen to meet the last living Jedi and the general who led us to victory."

Rey groaned inwardly. After meeting with those representatives, she didn't want to deal with anymore politicians. "Rose, look…"

"Rey. You _want_ to meet this guy. Trust me."

After that, Rey had little choice but to follow her friend. Rose led them over to one of the smaller ships, an old VCX-100 light freighter. Near the bottom of the gangway, they found a man around Poe's age, maybe a bit older, sighing exasperatedly at a droid. "Chop, you can't just drop those wherever you want. You know how Mom is."

"Jacen?"

The man turned; Rey was slightly startled by his green hair. He had striking blue eyes that she _swore_ were familiar somehow. "Rose!" the man said, smiling. "Come for those power couplings?"

Rose shook her head. "No, but I did bring my friend. You know, the one you wanted to meet?"

The man called Jacen glanced at Rey, his eyes lighting up with the same faint recognition she felt. She'd never met this man in her life; he was certainly striking. She would remember someone like this, she was certain of it. Then why did she feel like she knew him? Jacen held out his hand. "Jacen Syndulla."

Rey took his hand, shaking firmly. She _felt_ him. He was like her. Force sensitive, powerful too. "Rey Skywalker."

"Skywalker?" Rose asked.

"Long story." Rey turned back to Jacen. "You have the Force."

Jacen blinked, a bit taken aback by Rey's bluntness. "Um, yeah."

Rey put her hands on her hips. "But we haven't met before?"

Jacen shook his head. "No. But when Rose explained who you were, what you were, I knew I had to meet you."

"Why?"

"Because I am the son of a Jedi Knight."

"Sorry, you're…w_hat?"_ Other than Anakin and Leia (and her grandfather, but she didn't want to think about that), Rey had never heard of a Jedi having children. As relationships were forbidden, she supposed there just weren't any others. Anakin had broken the rules of the Order; Leia chose to give up the Jedi path for her son. Yet this man claimed that he was the son of a Jedi. How could that be possible?

Jacen held her eyes. "My father was Kanan Jarrus. When he was a padawan, he was known as Caleb Dume. He survived Order 66 and remade himself into Kanan."

Kanan Jarrus. She knew that name. _In the heart of the Jedi lies her strength._ Kanan's voice came back to her, just as clearly as it had on Exegol. "He sacrificed himself for your mother," she said quietly. "And you."

Jacen stepped back. "How do you know that?"

How could she even begin to explain? Jacen deserved her best effort. She could almost see Kanan in her mind's eye; Jacen looked so much like him. Slowly, she spoke, describing the moment when she was utterly alone on Exegol, drained, surrounded by Sith, she found strength. From the Jedi who had come before. She knew their names instinctively, trusted them. One of those voices belonged to Kanan Jarrus.

Tears streamed down Jacen's cheeks as she finished; Rey reached out and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Your father was an incredible Jedi. But he was an even better man. I felt him with me. I felt the love he had for his family."

Jacen covered her hand with his. "Thank you. I can't tell you what that means to me." His mother had told him all the stories; the crew of the Ghost kept his father's memory alive as he grew up. Yet, there had always been something missing. Something he'd never been able to put his finger on until now. Through Rey, he felt like—for the first time—he got to meet his father.

Poe moved through the hangar, looking for Rey and Finn. He had no idea where they could have gone. They were supposed to meet for dinner in the mess, but he finished up early and thought he would track them down. People kept stopping him as he passed; it was frustrating. "Sorry, I'm looking for Rey," he said to the latest person to stop him.

"Oh, I saw her head that way with Rose," Beaumont murmured, pointing.

"Thanks." Poe went in the direction indicated; it was a gaggle of ships he didn't recognize. He spotted Finn first; he was standing outside an old beat up freighter. As he got closer, he saw Rey, sharing a quiet moment with a man Poe didn't recognize. He stopped. Blinked. The man was at least as old as Poe himself, green hair, handsome. Whatever they were talking about, it was intimate.

_Down, boy, _Poe scolded himself. _She loves you, remember?_

He had no reason to be jealous. None. He'd never really been a jealous person, but then again, he'd never loved anyone like he loved Rey. All he had to do was go over and introduce himself. Easy. He closed the distance quickly. "How are we doin' over here?"

Rey glanced up, a knowing smile on her face. She squeezed her new friend's shoulder then stood and took Poe's arm. "Poe, I'd like you to meet Jacen Syndulla. The Ghost was in the battle over Exegol."

Poe held out his hand. "Poe Dameron." Jacen shook his hand firmly. At the last moment, Poe did a double take. "Wait. Did you say Syndulla?"

Jacen chuckled. "Here we go."

"What's the big deal?" Finn asked, confused.

Poe ignored him. "Are you related to _Hera Syndulla?_"

Jacen nodded. "My mom."

"_Your mom?!"_

"Still confused over here," Finn said irritably.

Poe smacked his friend in the chest. "General Hera Syndulla! She's a legend! She fought with the Rebellion all through the first war! Lothal, Scarif, Endor! My mom said General Syndulla was the best pilot she'd ever seen! I've always wanted to meet her!"

"Always wanted to meet who?"

Everyone turned toward the new voice and Poe's jaw dropped. Standing before them was one of his childhood idols, Hera Syndulla. She was older now, a bit of crow's feet around her eyes, smile lines a little deeper, but it was her.

"Shoes on the other side of your mouth, buddy," Finn mock whispered.

Hera smiled. "I see you've all met Jacen."

Rey shook the other woman's hand. Now that Hera was in front of her, Jacen's appearance made more sense. He was a perfect melding of both his parents. "Rey Skywalker. This is Poe Dameron. Though he might have lost the ability to speak."

Hera laughed. "Dameron. You wouldn't be Kes and Shara's boy, would you?"

Poe snapped out of his shock. "Um, yeah. I mean, yes, I am. It's an honor to meet you, General."

"Hera, please. I haven't been a general for a long time."

"Says you," Jacen muttered under his breath.

"Maybe you could give us some pointers," Poe joked. "Because we're kinda flying blind on this whole general thing."

"I think you've done well for yourselves. Your mother would be proud."

Poe looked at Rey; her smile did more to calm him than any shot Kalonia could give him. He squeezed her hand. "Would you like to join us at the mess?"

"Sure."

Poe and Rey hung back a little as the group made their way to the mess hall. "I can't believe Hera Syndulla is in our camp," Poe muttered in disbelief.

Rey rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Should I be jealous?"

"What? No, no, of course not…" Then he got a good look at her face. "Oh, that was you getting me back for earlier, wasn't it?"

"Just a little bit." She leaned into him as Poe slipped his arm around her waist. "It was brief, but loud."

"Loud?"

"In the Force. Your signature. I can feel it when you're close."

"That's a good thing, I take it?"

"Most of the time."

Poe sighed. "Sorry. I'm not usually…like that. I realized almost the second I had the thought that I was being stupid."

Rey leaned up and kissed the underside of his jaw. "You didn't _do_ anything stupid, so don't worry about it." How could she be angry about Poe's small flash of jealousy when she'd been jealous every time Zorii appeared? It was the way he acted on those feelings that mattered.

"The night is still young, sweetheart."

"I don't think we have any Corellian ale."

"General Syndulla was one of my idols when I was a kid. I pretended to be her or Luke or my mom, at the helm of fighter, taking out all the TIE fighters I could find. I just…never expected to meet her."

"She's a good person. Strong. I like her."

"And what about Jacen? I didn't even know she had a son. His father must have been human though."

"He was," Rey confirmed. "He was a Jedi."

Poe stopped abruptly. "Wait. _A Jedi?"_

"Mmhmm." She summarized Jacen's history quickly, leaving Poe reeling. A Jedi that had a child? Leia and Luke were only others he knew of. And Ben Solo, he supposed, though he didn't like to think about that. In all his daydreams about their future, he never _quite_ allowed himself to imagine children. It was way too early to even bring that up; Rey certainly hadn't mentioned it. He'd once thought her status as a Jedi would be a barrier to them being together; it was clearly wrong about that. Rey didn't seem to care. Poe decided to tuck all of that away for later.

He simply wanted to enjoy the present.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:** Once again, thank you for all the positive feedback on this! I'm still really enjoying writing it. I'm a bit under the weather, hence why this is later than I wanted. We're earning the rating in this chapter too, folks, so if that's not your thing, you've been warned. Also, I'm probably playing a little fast and loose with the Force, so I hope I'll be forgiven for taking some dramatic license. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Nope, but I kinda wish I was CT. We were robbed!

**Chapter 4**

_Where is the droid? What is it carrying?_

Poe grit his teeth, fighting against the mental bombardment. He couldn't say a word. He couldn't even _think_. If he did, all was lost. Sweat beaded on his brow as the tall masked figure stalked around the interrogation room, apparently calm. But Poe could feel the anger, the _hate_, that boiled through him. He closed his eyes, desperate to block it out, but it felt like little knives stabbing at his defenses. Over and over.

_Just a little longer,_ Poe thought desperately. He just needed to give BB-8 enough time to escape, after that, he didn't care what happened to himself.

_It is pointless to resist._

Poe gave himself a mental shake. _No, no, resistance was never pointless._ His parents fought against the Empire; he fought against the First Order. It was a good fight, a noble fight. He couldn't give in.

_Perhaps you need a different form of persuasion._

The door hissed; something heavy rolled through it. Poe didn't want to look, but a fresh flash of pain forced his eyes open. As he took in the scene, bile rose in his throat; he instinctively pulled and struggled and yanked on his restraints until his wrists bled. _No, no, no, no! Not her. Not again._

Rey lay motionless on a hovering slab, much like the one Poe was bound to. He couldn't tell if she was breathing at first; she was deathly pale. Their captor moved between them, his hulking black form blocking Rey from his sight.

"_Get. Away. From. Her."_

The figure spun. "So, you _can_ speak." Poe's chest strained against the heavy restraints, his eyes finally resting on the black and silver helmet of Kylo Ren.

"I'll do a lot more than that when I get out of here."

Kylo Ren chuckled. It sounded grotesque behind the mask. "And I'll let you try once you tell me where that pesky little droid is."

"Not a chance."

"Not even for her?" Ren swooped around the table like some great bat; he ran a finger along Rey's cheek. Poe struggled harder; he had to get Rey out of there. He came up short as Rey's eyes fluttered open. She saw Ren first; her body instinctively recoiling as she screamed.

"Rey, Rey, calm down. I'm here. I'm right here."

Her eyes were almost wild with fear as they clashed with his. "Poe?" The realization that they were both in the clutches of Kylo Ren was clear in her eyes; it broke his heart.

"That's right, sweetheart. I'm here. We're gonna get out of this, yeah?"

She opened her mouth to respond, only a high pitched scream of pain came out. Her face crumpled in agony; her fists clenched. Poe screamed too, terrified for her. Rage and hatred like he'd never experienced boiled over; his restraints seemed to melt away. He flung himself at Kylo Ren, taking the other man off guard. They tumbled to the floor in a heap, rolling and punching and brawling. Something cracked in his hand as it came into contact with Ren's helmet; he howled in pain. Ren took advantage, flinging Poe off him with the Force. Rey screamed and struggled, but Poe hardly heard her. All that mattered was ending Kylo Ren.

This time, he kicked the other man's legs out and tackled him. The room seemed to shift around them; everything blurred and spun. Something hit him in the chest, knocking the breath from his body. He didn't even have enough breath to scream as the bright red saber pierced Rey's heart.

* * *

Rey sat up abruptly, her heart pounding. Terror flowed through her, setting her on edge. It took her a moment to realize it wasn't _her_ terror. It was Poe's. Instinctively, she reached for him, but the space beside her was empty. Where the hells was he? The terror disoriented her; the sounds and smells were different from Yavin. She was up in a blink, summoning her saber. It wasn't until she reached the door that she remembered where they were. They were back at the base. Poe was in his quarters. Alone.

She breathed deeply, trying to center herself again. She still felt his terror; he must be having a nightmare. She needed to check on him. Since they were on the base, Rey decided to leave her saber behind; she pulled on her heavy Jedi cloak before leaving the room. The Tantive IV was silent as she hurried through the halls; Poe's quarters were a floor below hers.

Why had they decided on keeping separate quarters? Back on Yavin, that first night after Poe confessed that he loved her, they'd tried sleeping separately. But their rooms were right next door; neither could sleep with the other so close. Especially not after the comfort she'd found in Poe's arms. After tossing and turning for what felt like forever, she gave up and padded next door. Poe stood on the other side, literally about to undertake the same errand. He welcomed her into his room without a word; they settled into the narrow bed together. The moment his arms slipped around her she relaxed. The last thing she remembered were his lips kissing her brow as she drifted off to sleep.

After that, it seemed pointless to keep separate rooms.

This was their first night back on the base. It was different than being on Yavin, much more public. They were having a good time at dinner, hanging out with friends, old and new. About halfway through the meal, Poe spotted his friend Karé; his mood grew somber. Rey could feel the guilt coming off him in waves; when she suggested keeping separate quarters, he didn't protest. She tried not to let it bother her. He never said anything, but she knew Snap's death still weighed on him. Seeing his friend's widow while being happy himself had to be disorienting.

Rey reached Poe's room quickly, her fingers punching in his access code. She was confident he would forgive her; he'd given it to her for a reason, after all. The light from the hall illuminated the room just long enough for her to spot Poe thrashing on the bed; she hurried over to shake him awake. "Poe, Poe, it's me. It's Rey."

A sense of déjà vu washed over her as his eyes snapped open. He fumbled for her arm, squeezing hard. "Thank the Maker," he panted, touching his forehead to her wrist.

She sat on the edge of the bed. "Nightmare?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Bad?"

He didn't think he had the strength to describe it. "Different."

She gently carded her fingers through his hair. "I felt it."

"Sorry."

She leaned down to kiss his sweaty brow. "It's okay. Would you like me to stay?"

He knew he should be worried about how things would look in the morning, but he couldn't bring himself to care. All he wanted was to hold her. "Please." As an officer, his quarters were bigger than most, as was his bed. He moved over to give her room; Rey let her cloak fall to the floor before joining him.

"Better?" she asked, as he drew her close.

"Much."

She resumed running her fingers through his hair; he'd mentioned in passing once that he liked that. "I missed you," she murmured softly.

Poe sighed. The lump of fear in his stomach was abating thanks to Rey's soothing touch. She was warm and soft and alive; they were both safe and sound. It had been a few weeks since he'd had a nightmare; usually, he relived his torture. This nightmare was worse than all the others; his subconscious dragged the woman he loved into it. "Missed you too."

They were both quiet for a long time; Rey thought he might have fallen asleep, as he seemed much more relaxed. "Poe?" she whispered.

"'M still awake," he said. "Don't worry about me."

"Bit late for that, flyboy."

He chuckled, tangling his legs with hers. "I could get used to this."

"Bit late for that too," she confessed.

Poe ran his fingertips down her arm. "I didn't want to presume, but yeah. Me too. Guess I didn't really think things through."

"Is it because of Karé?"

Poe sighed. "Yes. No. Partly, I suppose? Snap was my friend. I'm the kriffing General of the whole Resistance and I haven't been able to bring myself to comfort his widow. It feels like…if I do that, then he's really gone. So many good people are gone, Rey. I led them to their deaths."

"No. We did. You and me and Finn. You followed _my_ trail. It was _my_ grandfather pulling the strings. Everyone here fought because they believed in the cause. You can't blame yourself."

"Who else is there?"

"Poe, we accept the risks every time we leave this base. I didn't want you and Finn coming with me to Pasaana because it was too dangerous. Did either of you listen to me?"

Poe smiled. "No."

"And why didn't you?"

"Because we couldn't let you go alone. We're family, Sunshine."

"Exactly. You thought of Snap as family too, right?" Poe nodded. "He knew what he was signing on for. He got in that X-wing because he believed in you. He believed in what we were fighting for. I didn't know him that well…"

"He'd be laughing at me right now," Poe said, smiling faintly. "Head over heels for someone like you." Snap had seen him through many ups and downs; it wasn't fair that his friend wasn't there to see how happy he was with Rey or to enjoy a well-earned retirement with his wife.

"He'd want you to be happy."

"I hope so." He wasn't sure about Karé. She might blame him for her husband's death. Grief wasn't always rational; he was living proof of that. "I am happy, Rey. I was almost convinced that I wouldn't make it here. I've been fighting for so long; peace didn't feel real. I was prepared to die. I wasn't prepared to live."

Rey blinked back the tears that welled in her eyes. "We'll just have to figure it out together."

"I'd like that." He leaned in and kissed her sweetly. "Speaking of together…"

"What?"

Poe chuckled dryly. "Well, I don't know if you noticed, but we didn't make it very long in separate quarters."

"You did have a nightmare," she pointed out. Truthfully, she'd had trouble falling asleep; in a short time, she'd gotten used to Poe snuggled up behind her. It was startling how easily he slipped into her previously solitary life.

"I still missed you. I like having you here with me. But if you want to keep things the way they are…"

"Poe."

"I just want to respect your space."

She smiled. Why did it take her so long to realize how sweet he could be? "If I wanted space, I'd say so. This? This feels right. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, it does." He drew nonsense into her lower back with a wandering finger. "This is the only thing that makes complete sense to me right now." Dealing with politicians, restoring order, mourning the lost, all of that was hard. It was a minefield that he wasn't sure he could traverse. He certainly couldn't do it alone. But being with Rey? That, he could do.

She didn't need to see his warm brown eyes to feel the truth of his words. They echoed what was in her heart. "Connix was talking about the overcrowding," she said hesitantly. "I could…"

"You could what?"

"Give up my quarters? We could, or I could…"

"Rey, are you asking me if I'd like you to stay here? With me?"

She could just barely make out his teeth in the dark; he was grinning that stupid sappy grin! She shoved at his chest. "Well, if you're going to be like that…"

"I can't be happy? Overjoyed? Ecstatic?"

"Yeah?"

"Sunshine, I would love that. Are you sure it's what you want? We haven't been together that long and there's so much happening…"

Rey frowned. She couldn't fathom why he seemed to hesitate over every step forward. Like he said, being together was the one thing that made sense. "We made it, Poe. We're _alive._ I don't want to waste any time. Do you?"

Poe prayed she never stopped surprising him. Maybe one day it would fully sink in that she loved him. For now, he planned to enjoy the sheer excitement of being with the woman he loved. "We'll get your stuff in the morning then." After a pause, he said, "Maybe you could give the quarters to your new friend."

"Who? Jacen?" Rey laughed. "Still a bit jealous, General?"

"I'm not!"

She took his hand, squeezing gently. "It's okay. It's cute."

"You do seem to have a thing for older men," Poe teased.

"Hey!"

"Sweetheart, if you didn't, we wouldn't be here. This is not a complaint, mind you."

She rolled her eyes. "Because you're _so_ ancient."

Poe kissed her forehead. "Sure you still wanna move in here?"

She considered teasing him like he was teasing her, but she realized he still needed reassurance. After losing so much, they both needed to know that they were in this. "I'm sure."

The certainty in her voice warmed his heart. He didn't realize how worried he was about her response until she said the words out loud. He still had a deep seated fear of screwing this up; Rey was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Yet, Kes was right. He had to trust that she knew her own mind. She deserved that.

He found her lips in the dark; she melted against him. Poe slipped his hands under her shirt; she was warm and soft. She hummed in pleasure, skimming her fingertips down his bare chest. Poe smothered a groan; that teasing touch was driving him crazy. She shivered at the feel of his rough fingertips skimming up her spine. Poe curled his arm around her waist, hauling her atop him. Rey nipped at his lips, that now familiar warmth settling in her belly.

"Rey?" Poe whispered, his lips sliding along her jaw. She felt so good against him, but he didn't want to presume.

"Hmmm?"

"Is this okay?"

She knew what he was asking. "I don't need anything else. Just you."

Poe grinned stupidly; he adored his brave Jedi. He drew her mouth back to his, kissing her hard. Rey responded in kind, happiness swelling in her chest. She giggled as he reached for her shirt; she helped him tug it over her head. The room was dark; Poe had to relearn her body by feel alone. Not that he had a problem with that. Rey settled back on his thighs, tugging him up until he was sitting up with her perched in his lap. She moaned softly as his mouth slid down her neck.

Poe groaned as she rocked in his lap; he could feel her heat through the layers that separated them. "Kriff, Sunshine."

"Now what?"

He chuckled. "I imagined this a thousand different ways. None of them were anything like this."

"Well, you did say there would be a bed and a locked door. We've got that." She kissed him sweetly. "Poe, being with you is special. I love you."

"Love you too, Sunshine. So damn much."

"So, make love to me, flyboy."

He grinned again, still smiling as she kissed him. This kiss was slow, filled with longing and love. Poe slipped his hands under her ass, holding her against him so he could flip them over. Rey didn't let him get away, holding him against her, craving his skin against hers. The ring he wore landed against her sternum, warm and heavy. His hands slid over her belly, leaving licks of fire in their wake. She bit her lip as he tugged her leggings down her legs; once again, she was utterly exposed before him. Poe didn't disguise his intentions this time; he ducked between her splayed thighs, licking the length of her sex with the flat of his tongue. Rey arched, moaning loudly.

_Good thing the droid's not here, _Poe thought, grinning to himself. BB-8 was very protective of Rey; no doubt the droid would get the wrong idea.

Poe had done this to her on the Falcon, but for some reason, this felt different. More intense, somehow. Rey squeezed her eyes shut, basking in the sensation of his warm tongue on her sex. He licked and nibbled and sucked, pressing her thighs wider with those strong hands. Rey bit her lip; her hands fisted the sheet as the pressure built in her belly. "Poe…gods," she moaned. "Don't stop."

"I've got you, sweetheart." This was her first time; he wanted her to feel nothing but pleasure. He kissed her inner thigh, easing a single digit into her. Rey reached for him instinctively, gripping his curls. Poe groaned; the sharp tug going straight to his cock. "Kriffing hell."

"More. Please."

Poe kissed her swollen nub, circling it with his tongue as he pressed a second finger inside her tight channel. He pumped slowly, memorizing every delicious sound that tumbled from her lips. She was hot all over, her body trying to grind against him as she chased her climax. The first crashed over her suddenly and hard; her body convulsed and shuddered. Poe pumped his fingers faster, dragging it out. He pressed a loving kiss to her trembling stomach. "My beautiful girl."

Rey hummed, reaching for him. "Come here."

He didn't need to be asked twice. Poe covered her body with his, groaning as she pulled him in for a kiss. Rey used that as a distraction, reaching for his pants. They both burst into giggles as she struggled to get them down; they were partially tangled in the blankets. Poe eventually managed to kick the material free and flop on his back, pulling Rey with him. She straddled his hips, biting her lip as she felt his hardness between her legs. "Oh."

Poe wet his lips. "Mmhmm." He found her hands, threading their fingers together. "Do whatever feels good, sweetheart."

Rey rocked against him, her breathing stuttered. Poe seemed content to let her explore; she felt his gaze, even in the dark. She pressed her hands to his chest, rolling her hips. She found just the right angle by accident, moaning as the firm ridge of his erection stroked her clit. "Oh gods."

Poe fought the urge to buck up against her; she was soaked, coating him in her arousal. "That's it, Sunshine. Feel good?"

"Mmhmm." She bent over him, kissing him hungrily. "I need…" She wasn't sure what she needed, but she knew only Poe could give it to her.

Poe reached between them, his thumb seeking her clit. She gasped as he stroked it, a jolt of need seizing her. "Come for me again, sweetheart. Then I'll give you what you need."

She whined in complaint, but in moments, she was drowning in pleasure. Together, they tipped her over the edge a second time, leaving her gasping for air. She collapsed against his chest, her body tingling with pleasure. Poe kissed her temple. "Still with me?"

"Think so."

"We don't have to do this now," he reminded her again.

"I want to." She really did. She was so tired of living her life by everyone else's expectations. Everyone seemed to want something from her; Poe simply wanted to make her happy. He loved _Rey_, not the Jedi or the lost girl on Jakku. She wanted that future he talked about and she wanted it with him. "I want _you."_

Poe kissed her reverently. "You are amazing," he whispered. He eased her onto her back, his mouth fused to hers. She gasped as he settled in the cradle of her thighs; her heart raced. She waited with bated breath, but Poe seemed content to once more take his time. He licked and sucked at her nipples until she was arching with pleasure. Need built once more in her core; she bucked against him. "Ready?"

"Yes, yes, please."

Poe brushed a kiss to her forehead, silently reminding her of how much he adored her. He adjusted his hips, pressing forward slowly. Rey gasped as he sank inside her, her body opening for him. She gripped his shoulders hard, needing that anchor. There was a tiny twinge at one point, but it passed so quickly that she hardly felt it.

Poe stilled once he was fully seated inside her; she was perfect. His imagination was nothing compared to the reality of _this._ He found her lips in the dark, kissing her deeply. She responded in kind, running her hands down his back. "Okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah." She drew him back for another kiss, gripping his biceps as he gently started to rock. This first time, she was glad it was dark; she could focus on the feelings, the tender way he loved her. Poe's chain swung between them; the ring brushed against her skin with every thrust. She hitched her legs behind his back, both of them gasping as he found a rhythm. Poe whispered something she didn't catch; she arched under him. Pressure built once more in her belly; she moaned loudly. "Oh gods. Don't stop. Don't stop."

He couldn't have even if he wanted to. She felt so good around him, wet and hot. He would enjoy loving her for the rest of his life. His own orgasm coiled at the base of his spine; he knew he wouldn't last long. Not this first time. He rolled his hips, grinding against her with every drive. Rey shuddered with pleasure, instinctively digging her heels into his back. Poe's thrusts because erratic, hard and deep; he was almost there.

"Rey, kriff, I'm gonna…"

"It's okay." She knew what to expect now; they'd talked about it. Leia had insisted she see Kalonia shortly after they established the base on Ajan Kloss, just in case. Rey was glad now that she'd followed through; she couldn't imagine this moment any other way.

Poe shuddered in her arms, his cock pulsing as he climaxed. Rey held him close, wanting to hold onto this moment as long as she could. His head fell against her shoulder, his breath hot on her skin. He pressed tender kisses to her collarbone, cognizant of the fact that she hadn't climaxed again. He'd just have to fix that.

Rey whined in protest as he rolled off her; she missed his weight. "Your turn," he murmured.

Before she could ask what he meant, she gasped as his hand slipped between her legs. He circled her swollen clit firmly and covered her mouth with his. She gripped his forearm tightly, pleasure shooting through her. She was still sensitive from having him inside her; it didn't take long for him to coax a third high from her. Rey keened as the high washed through her, arching into his touch. "Gods."

Poe grinned. "That's better."

She laughed breathlessly. "Good?"

He kissed her brow. "Amazing," he confirmed.

"Everything you wanted?"

"Better."

"Really?"

"Of course, it was. I'm with you, Sunshine. I want to be with you for a long time. If you'll have me."

She cupped his cheek and coaxed him down for a kiss. "I think that can be arranged."

Poe leaned his forehead against hers, soaking her in. After so much struggle and death, he couldn't believe he actually got to have this. The most extraordinary woman in the galaxy loved him. He would spend the rest of his life trying to be worthy of her. "We should clean up."

Rey squeezed his hand. "Be right back." She rolled out of the bed, feeling an unfamiliar twinge between her legs. It wasn't unpleasant necessarily, just new. She padded over to the fresher and went about cleaning up. When she returned, Poe was tossing the top sheet onto the floor.

"The blanket will have to do," he murmured apologetically.

"That's okay." She didn't bother to dress before climbing into bed. Poe followed her, snuggling against her. "Your bed's more comfortable than mine," she teased gently. "Good thing I'm upgrading."

Poe laughed. "Officer's quarters."

"Do you think it'll be strange?"

"How so?"

"Have you ever, uh…"

Poe caught her meaning. "Lived with someone? No."

"Really?"

"Being with you is a whole new list of firsts for me, Rey. We're not gonna get everything right. Hells, in a week you may want to punch me in the face again. But no matter what, I'm always going to love you. Even during those moments where we drive each other crazy."

She chuckled softly. She needed to hear that. Friendship was something she was still perfecting; this was completely different. "Planning on being difficult, General?"

"Always, Sunshine. Always."

* * *

Rey padded from Poe's quarters early the following morning. He'd tried to coax her into staying; it was certainly tempting. Their bed was warm and soft; waking up with his arms around her was peaceful. She didn't have many personal belongings; she didn't want anyone making a big deal out of anything. And by people, she meant Rose. Her friend was easily excitable; she loved seeing other people happy. Which was fine, but Rey didn't like being the center of attention.

As she turned down her corridor, a familiar rolling sound caught her attention. "Beebee-Ate?"

The droid beeped excitedly as she appeared. Rey knelt in front of him. "Something wrong?" She couldn't think of any other reason he would be looking for her, especially at this hour. But the rest of the base still seemed to be quiet, so she was stumped. The little droid rolled away from her just a little and opened one of his access panels. His claw held a catch of dried flowers; Rey recognized them from Yavin. A smile spread across her face. "Did your master put you up to this?"

BB-8 beeped in the affirmative. She accepted the gift, giving his antenna an affectionate tweak. "Thank you. Maybe later you can help me work on the compressors on the Falcon. Would you like that?" The droid once again trilled an enthusiastic yes. "Alright. I'll see you in bit, okay?"

She sniffed at the flowers as she approached her room. They were dried, but the scent remained. It reminded her of those quiet nights under the Force tree, those moments where they could simply _be._ They'd only been back for a day, but already, she missed it. Yavin was the first place she felt at home; or, perhaps, she'd simply found a home with the man who shared his with her.

She wanted to move her things with a minimum of fuss. Her quarters were much colder than she remembered; she hurriedly snatched up some clean clothes to take with her to the fresher. Until she settled in the Resistance camp, she could count on one hand the number of showers she'd experienced with actual water. Water was scarce on Jakku; it was a luxury few could afford. Ajan Kloss was temperate enough that water wasn't an issue; it still took her a few months to accept that she could s_hower _any time she wanted. It was her one indulgence. Or, rather, it _had been._

Now, she was developing a whole new set of indulgences.

Poe was an affectionate person; he wasn't afraid to show the people he cared about how he felt. Prior to their trip to Tatooine, she could say with confidence that they were friends, but not the same way Poe was friends with Finn. They were always hugging and smacking each other on the back. Poe was oddly formal with her; she'd never mustered the courage to ask him why. She assumed it was because they fought all the time.

She realized now that she'd been wrong.

His scent clung to her skin; she missed him. She still carried a new ache between her legs, proof that they'd taken an irrevocable step. She searched her feelings as she washed; she didn't regret it. She imagined Poe had envisioned something different, more romantic, but she didn't need that. She wouldn't change a thing; in that moment, they needed each other.

They were moving forward; Poe sometimes thought they were moving too fast, but she disagreed. After so much struggle and danger and death, she wanted to embrace _life._ She wanted to stamp out the last of the First Order and find a lasting peace. She wanted to remake the Jedi Order on her terms. Most of all, she wanted to do all of that with Poe beside her, celebrating little victories and mourning the small defeats.

Once she finished up with her shower, she went around packing her things. There wasn't much; a couple changes of clothes, the ancient Jedi texts, her saber and boots. Everything fit in a box and her satchel. She did a couple of sweeps just to make sure she got everything before carrying her stuff out. She needed to find D-O later and tell him about the move. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too much excitement for the little droid. She'd grown fond of him. Rey passed a handful of people on her way back to Poe's quarters; it was still fairly early in the day. Perhaps, if they were lucky, they could enjoy some breakfast before things got hectic.

Poe's door hissed open; she stepped carefully over the bulkhead. "Poe?"

The room was empty. She frowned, disappointed. The bed was still a mess, but the sheet he'd removed the night before was nowhere to be seen. She laid her box and satchel on the bed, wondering where he could have gone. She spotted a folded piece of flimsi on the desk; had he left her note?

_Hey Sunshine,_

_Got called down to command right after you left. Sorry, I can't help you move your stuff; I was looking forward to it. Can't wait to see you!_

_Love, Poe_

Rey smiled to herself; only Poe would be excited to move her small catch of things. Of course, it wasn't the things themselves that mattered. It was the first step in building a life _together,_ something neither of them had done before. It was uncharted territory, but she wasn't afraid. She'd faced her own darkness and come out on the other side. Changed, yes. But more at peace with herself. She had people around her who loved her; she had a future now.

* * *

Poe ran his fingers through his hair, trying not to feel overwhelmed. When did the galaxy get so _big?_ They didn't have enough resources to cover all the hot spots that kept popping up. All over the galaxy, First Order diehards menaced local populations; it was rapidly turning into a guerilla conflict. They needed to get a handle on it _fast_. As their visitors pointed out, the Resistance was the only organized military force in the galaxy, but they didn't have the numbers for this. They needed help.

"I don't even know where to start," he murmured, almost to himself.

"We should start with the systems that have actually requested assistance," Connix said, flipping through them on her holopad.

"Those are all along the inner rim," Poe pointed out. "What about everyone else? Should we just write them off?"

"I didn't say that."

Poe sighed. "Sorry. It's just…a lot." He wished he was back in bed with Rey; reality was not a fun place to be at the moment. "Just give me some time with these. And see if we have anyone who might have some contacts in the Outer Rim. We are not leaving those people high and dry."

Connix looked like she was going to argue for a minute, then thought better of it. Poe grabbed the holopad and retreated to a corner; he ignored the headache that was building behind his eyes. The reports of rogue stormtroopers raiding villages were hard to read, but he forced himself. He hoped they were led by diehard First Order officers, men who couldn't accept that their side lost. Hugs had been raised by such a man; that was where the real threat lay. But they couldn't legislate what was in people's hearts. Evil would always exist; all they could do was meet it the best they could.

What would really help was an independent entity that could mediate and engage toward the goal of keeping the peace. It was the Jedi had done for millennia. Now there was only one Jedi; Rey couldn't be everywhere at once. They would have to do the best they could. He didn't think about the fact that he might have to send the woman he loved into harm's way.

"Permission to come aboard?"

Poe glanced up, surprised to see General Syndulla—sorry, _Hera_—standing in front of him. "Oh, hey, Hera."

"You look like you've got the weight of galaxy on your shoulders."

"Damn, and I thought I was hiding it pretty well." He'd been so happy that morning, waking up with Rey in his arms. That felt like ten years ago.

"Sorry to burst your bubble."

Poe laid his holopad aside. "Something I can do for you, Hera?"

"We overheard some of the talk. Trouble on Lothal?"

"Among others, yeah. We've sent a squadron to the old Rebel base on Yavin, to help keep an eye on things."

"I'm pretty familiar with the system."

"I remember." He smiled faintly; dinner the night before had consisted of him enthusiastically questioning the woman in front of him. He might have been a little over excited. But she was a legend! What else was he supposed to do?

"We didn't get it right last time," Hera confessed. "I want to make sure we don't make that mistake again."

"I appreciate the offer, but it's going to take more than one old freighter."

"Don't mock the Ghost, son. She can hold her own."

Poe held up his hands. "I've no doubt. I just thought…"

"Thought what?"

"Your son. Jacen. Rey mentioned that his father was a Jedi. He's Force sensitive too, isn't he?"

Hera nodded. "He's done his best to hide it, especially once Skywalker disappeared."

"I thought maybe, perhaps…"

"He'd train as a Jedi?"

"Yeah."

Hera smiled. "Perhaps, long ago, he might have. But he's finding his own way. I'm proud of the man he's become. Reminds me of Kanan."

Poe didn't miss the ache in her voice. Even now, after all this time, she still loved her Jedi. Rey spent a few minutes with the older woman the night before, no doubt recounting the connection she'd felt to the Jedi of the past. He hoped it brought Hera some comfort. "Let's hope we can build a world where he doesn't have to hide."

Hera nodded. "So, Lothal?"

Poe nodded. He would be foolish to turn down the offer of a legend. "Good luck."

Hera smiled. Before she turned to leave, she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on to each other," she advised softly. "Time is precious; don't waste it."

Touched, Poe pulled her into a hug. "We won't. I promise."

* * *

Rey ducked into the command center, but Poe was nowhere to be seen. She'd already checked the mess and the hangar; she tried not to worry. She'd know if something was wrong. She'd feel it. The more time they spent together, the more attuned to each other they became. At first, she was wary, but this connection didn't feel anything like the Dyad bond she'd experienced with Ben. She never trusted it; it felt unnatural. For a year, she lived in terror that he'd open the bond and find the Resistance base by accident. No matter how much he talked about them being the same, every time he entered her mind it felt like a violation. But with Poe, it was completely different. Their bond was built on trust and love; she never tried to sense his _thoughts._ She didn't want to. He wasn't shy about his feelings.

"Rey?"

"Hey Finn. Have you seen Poe?"

"Not yet. Anything wrong?"

Rey shook her head. "Not wrong, I just…"

Finn chuckled. "You two are so cute!"

Rey punched his shoulder. "Hey!"

"What? It's true. It's good to see, Rey. You both deserve to be happy."

She relaxed. Finn was happy for her. That was good. Perhaps it was time to tell him the truth. All of it. "Hey, do you have a minute? There's something I need to tell you."

Finn sobered. "About Exegol? About how you _died?"_

She winced. "You felt it, didn't you?"

Finn nodded. "I'm glad it didn't stick."

Rey sighed. "It's a long story."

"I've got time."

Rey led him into Leia's former office. They sat across from each other; Finn took her hands in his. He would never forget the moment he felt her death. It was awful. Still, he wouldn't rush her. She could tell the story at her own pace.

Rey squeezed his fingers, thankful for his patience. Since he knew what happened—at least partially—he could have demanded answers long before this. But he gave her space and time; for that she was grateful. Having told the story once, the words came easier. When she got to the part about her grandfather, Finn blinked, surprised. A dozen questions came to mind, but he swallowed them so she could continue. Like Poe, he was skeptical of Ben Solo's redemption, but he was grateful beyond words that he'd brought her back.

He didn't know what he would do without his dearest friend.

"So?" she asked when she finished.

"So what?"

"I'm a Palpatine. I died, Finn. That's kind of a big deal."

Finn shook his head. "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone…"

"I wasn't alone. You were with me. And Poe. And Rose and Chewie. I felt all of you. I had the other Jedi. I couldn't have done it otherwise."

"How do you feel about it?"

Rey twisted her fingers together. "At first, I didn't know what to think or how to feel. Mostly, I was afraid everyone I cared about would reject me once you knew the truth."

Finn cursed under his breath. Her upbringing was every bit as shitty as his, but that didn't make it okay. He should have done more to show her how very special and loved she was. "That will never happen. Where you come from doesn't matter. Former stormtrooper here, I think I know something about that."

Rey smiled. "Yeah, you do. I'm not saying it's rational, but I've been alone for so long…I guess I just assumed that was how things were meant to be."

"Well, you're not alone anymore. There's me and Rose and Chewie."

"And Poe."

Finn chuckled. "Yeah, him too."

Rey laughed. Gods, it felt good to laugh! "Is it weird for you? Us not fighting as much?"

Her friend arched a brow. "Give it time. Poe has a talent for driving everyone crazy."

"You know I used to think he hated me?"

"Hated you? Nah. He was smitten with you from the beginning."

Rey smacked her friend's arm. "You're making that up."

"I am not! Poe is…very protective of the people he loves, Rey. That's why he gets frustrated when you take crazy chances. Which is rich coming from him, because he does the same thing! You both are gonna make me prematurely gray!" Finn sobered. "He told you about his mom, right?" Rey nodded. "He never takes that ring off. He told me once that he vowed to only give it to the right partner, the person he wanted to spend his life with. I'm really happy for you both. I can't think of anyone who deserves happiness more."

Rey laughed along with him, but her thoughts drifted back to the man she loved. Poe hadn't mentioned that little tidbit about Shara's ring. Why? He'd implied—more than once—that he wanted a future with her. Did he not want to scare her? Knowing Poe, that was likely. He was already concerned with how fast things were going. They'd been friends for a year now; this evolution—once they got out of each other's way—felt natural to her. Maybe she didn't know any better, but that didn't mean she didn't know her own mind. She loved him and wanted to build a future with him.

They both deserved that after all the horror and death. Didn't they?

* * *

Poe moved through the hangar, greeting people. He'd just gotten off a long holoconference with representatives from Naboo, Eadu, and Dantoonie about aid to combat the First Order remnants in their systems. Naboo had its own defense force; it would be easy enough to coordinate with them. The others were in worse shape. He just didn't know where they were going to get the resources and manpower. The politicians needed to work something out fast.

He needed a break. Since he'd missed Rey, he thought he'd go looking for her. BB-8 reported that she'd brought her meager belongings to Poe's quarters after he left; he was really disappointed that he couldn't be there. It was a pretty big step for them both; he couldn't believe it had been _her_ idea. While it made a lot of logistical sense, they could have left things as they were. He wouldn't have complained. Rey had been alone for most of her life; sharing living space with someone was a whole new challenge.

There was a droid working on the X-wing he'd flown in the battle. Poe still mourned the loss of his beloved Black One. She'd been the best ship he'd ever flown. Once Black Squadron was disbanded, it felt self-indulgent to repaint another ship black; he compromised by sometimes adding orange accents to the X-wing in front of him. Most of his missions of late involved the Falcon anyway. Still, an X-wing was home.

He stopped briefly to check on the repairs then resumed his search for his girlfriend. Girlfriend? Technically, Poe supposed it was true, but that word felt woefully inadequate to describe what he felt for her. Unconsciously, he fingered the ring around his neck. If he still wasn't so worried that he'd do something stupid—and honestly, his track record with relationships wasn't _great_—he'd have given her his mother's ring before they left Yavin. Perhaps under the Force tree. He was sure about her; he just wanted her to be sure about _him._

"You look very broody for someone who just won a war."

Poe hid his wince. Guilt settled like a stone in his stomach. He hadn't been looking for Karé, but he should have. He should have spoken to her long before this. What he'd told Rey was true. If he avoided Karé then Snap wasn't really gone. He was just out on a mission. "Um, hey, Karé."

"I was wondering how long it would take you."

Gods, this would be easier if she shouted at him. He deserved that. "Listen, I'm sorry…" But before he could get another word out, she hugged him. They held onto each other tightly; Poe felt the untapped well of grief rise in his throat. "He's gone," he choked out. "I am _so_ sorry."

Karé's tears soaked his shirt, but he didn't protest. Hells, he was crying too. Snap was one of his oldest friends; he still couldn't imagine a world without Snap in it. Poe sniffed and released her long enough to look at her face. Her eyes were red rimmed but clear. "I should have come to see you sooner, Karé. I am so sorry I didn't. I just…didn't know what to say. I wish I could bring him back."

Karé squeezed his arm. "He knew the risks. We all did."

"But still…"

"I still expect him to show up, you know? Just land and jump out of that X-wing, his booming laugh echoing in the yard."

Poe smiled softly. "I do too."

"He'd have a field day with _you_, General Dameron. Especially now that you've finally gotten your shit together regarding the Jedi."

Poe blinked. "Did everyone know about that?"

Karé surprised him by laughing. "You're about as subtle as bantha shit, Dameron. We had a bet on how long it would take you to make a move."

Poe sighed, exasperated. Of course, Snap bet on his love life. Typical. "Who won?"

"I did." Karé took his arm and led them away from most of the onlookers. "Snap would be happy for you, Poe. I know he would."

Poe looked down, uncomfortable. It wasn't right that he got to be happy while Snap was gone. Snap and Karé were his ideal example of what a marriage should be. He _hoped_ that when he found the right person, he could be as happy as they were. Now he _had _found the right person and Snap was gone. "It's not fair," he said quietly.

"No. It's not." Karé caught his eyes. "But that doesn't mean you should use it as an excuse to ruin the best thing that's ever happened to you. And that's what that girl is. I saw you at dinner last night…it was the happiest I've ever seen you and I've known you a long time."

"I don't want to ruin anything…"

"Says the guy who's longest running relationship is with his astromech."

"Hey!"

"So, what _are_ you afraid of, Poe? You're clearly head over heels for her."

Poe leaned against the wall. "I don't know if I'd say I'm afraid." She glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. He and Rey had talked about it; she kept assuring him that their age difference didn't matter to her. He believed her; he really did. But she was still so young. What if she was throwing her life away by being with him? Perhaps he wasn't "old" now, but he would be. He was thirty-three. In twenty years, he'd be over fifty. What if they had kids? Thinking about all that was depressing. As he told her, he didn't want to be something she regretted.

"I'm so much older than her."

Karé burst out laughing. _"That's_ what you're worried about?"

"What? It's a thing!" he cried indignantly.

Karé laid her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. But…how long have you known me and Snap?"

Poe blinked. How could he have forgotten that? Snap and Karé also had a significant age difference, even bigger than the one between him and Rey. "Did it ever…matter to you?"

"Honestly? No. This…" She pressed her fingers to his heart. "This doesn't see things like that. Not when it truly matters. If you love her, trust that she loves you just as much. And, from what I've seen, she does. Don't overthink things, Poe. Life is _too short._ Don't waste it. Don't let some silly worry stop you from being truly happy. If not for me, then for Snap."

"He probably wouldn't be that nice."

Karé smiled. "No, he'd knock some sense into you. Literally."

Poe pulled his friend into a hug. "Thanks, Karé. You need _anything_ you let me know, okay?"

"Will do. Go. Find your Jedi."

Poe gave her shoulder one last squeeze before he left. Losing Snap would always hurt, but the guilt lessened. Karé was right. Snap wouldn't want to see his fear get the better of him. He'd practically order Poe to be happy. The thought made him smile.

"Someone's happy."

Poe turned. "Zorii. You still here?" Honestly, he was surprised. And a little embarrassed. He'd flirted with her to distract himself from his feelings for Rey. That wasn't fair to Zorii (who, to be fair, might still hate his guts).

"Some general asked for my…unique skills," she said, stepping closer. What game was she playing? She was getting dangerously close to his personal space.

"Yeah, um, thanks for that." Poe scratched behind his ear, wondering what game Zorii was playing. "How's it going?"

"Your supply problems should soon be over."

"Oh. That's good. Thanks. Again."

"You seem surprised." She kept the gold helmet on, but her tone was unmistakable. Was she _flirting _with him? Why? Everyone in the camp seemed to know about him and Rey; Zorii had rebuffed him. Twice.

Poe shrugged, stepping back, just a tiny bit. "You can do whatever you want."

"Poe! There you are!" Poe smothered a grin as Rey approached, her brow arched. To his even greater surprise, she slipped between him and Zorii, brushing her lips across his.

"Everything okay?" he asked, sliding his arm around her slim waist. He couldn't even look at Zorii; he was _very_ amused by Rey's little territorial display. He didn't mind in the slightest either. He belonged to her and was fine with everyone knowing that.

"Yeah. Connix was looking for you," she lied. He could tell she was lying because her nostrils flared ever so slightly. "I volunteered to find you."

"Well, you found me. We should see what she wants." He nodded at Zorii. "See you around, Zorii." They started to walk toward the command post, but Poe tugged them into the first storage closet he could find. He pressed Rey against the nearest flat surface (a pile of storage cubes as it happened), swallowing her surprised giggle with a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding tight as he plundered her mouth. She didn't know what had come over her when she saw Poe talking to Zorii. But she definitely liked the result.

Poe hummed as he leaned in to nuzzle her throat. "Care to explain what that was about, Sunshine?"

Rey instinctively leaned away, giving him clear access to her throat. Poe's lips slid across her skin, pressing kisses at random. Her body hummed in pleasure. "Hmmm?"

Poe chuckled. "I believe the word you're looking for is jealousy. That was nothing, you know."

Rey blushed. "I know." She did. She trusted him with her life and her heart. "I just…couldn't help myself."

He smiled. "It's okay. At least we're even now."

"Even?" She asked, momentarily confused. Poe's lips on her neck was _very_ distracting. "Oh. Right. Jacen."

Poe chuckled. "Yeah, _him._" He wished he could take them both away from all this, back to Yavin, or anywhere really. Anywhere he went with her was an adventure.

Rey cupped his cheeks anddragged his mouth back to hers, kissing him firmly. "You're the only one for me, flyboy."

Poe smiled as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Good to know." He still couldn't believe how kriffing _lucky_ he was. Somehow, they'd gotten here. It was still new and exciting, but it also felt right. Like they were each other's missing piece.

"What are you thinking about?"

Poe shrugged. "Nothing important."

"It didn't feel like nothing." Poe leaned away from her and Rey winced. "Sorry. Does that bother you? It's just your aura changed…I can figure out how to stop…I'm still learning how…"

Poe placed a finger to her lips. "You're babbling, sweetheart."

She sighed, sad that she'd inadvertently broken their quiet moment. "It's just, I know you've been through a lot and you have every right to be uncomfortable with some of the…things I can do." She would _never_ use the Force on him that way; it wasn't right. So far, she'd only used the Jedi Mind Trick a few times and then only when it was an emergency. Having had her mind violated, she understood how it felt. She never wanted to make anyone feel that helpless.

Poe took her hand and moved them over to another row of crates; they were just tall enough to sit on. Once she was settled, he held her hands in both of his. "You're right. When I least expect it, I can still sometimes…feel him in my head. It's not a picnic."

She reached out, cradled his cheek fondly. "I can too, you know. Feel him in my head. Then we had that Dyad bond…I was so scared, afraid that he'd find us and then hurt everyone I care about."

Poe turned his head and brushed a kiss across her palm. "That's why you spent so much time training," he realized. "You were trying to protect us all."

She nodded. "Leia was the only one I told about the bond. But I should have told you and Finn. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's okay. It was frustrating…it felt wrong being out there without you. And not just because you fight even better than me."

She grinned. "Modest as always, General."

"We missed you. I missed you. I could tell you were hurting but I didn't know what to do. Probably why I picked so many fights with you. I didn't want to lose you."

"We're a pair, aren't we?"

He chuckled. "So, what _do_ you see? You said something about my aura?"

She smiled. "Everyone has one. I can tune it out most of the time, but yours…it's so warm and vibrant, like you."

He liked the sound of that. "But it can change?"

She nodded. "With strong emotions. Yours flared really bright, like you had some sort of epiphany. But I didn't read your thoughts, Poe. I would _never_ do that."

Well, that didn't sound terrible. He might not understand all the things she could do, but he trusted her. "What if I asked you to?"

"What?"

"What if I asked you to?"

"Poe, no. It's not right! I'm not even sure I could control it."

"I trust you, Rey."

She was humbled by his trust, but she couldn't. "I appreciate that, but I can't. I don't want to hurt you. But maybe…we could try something else?"

"Like what?"

"Would you like to see my aura?" She wasn't sure it would work, but she thought it was only fair. Poe's aura was like a warm hug, bright and inviting. She wanted to surround herself with it and never let go. It felt like safety and home and all things she'd been missing in her life.

"You can do that?"

"I think so?" They'd become remarkably close in the few days since they left for Tattoine. They could sense when the other was in distress. Why not feel something happier?

"I'm game."

"Really?"

"I told you, Sunshine. I trust you."

"Okay." She swung her legs up onto the crate, crossing them in front of her. Poe mimicked her; his head tilted curiously. "Hold out your hands." Master Luke had told her that it was silly, but she knew Poe would be more comfortable if they were touching. She always drew comfort from his touch.

Poe felt a little ridiculous, but he did as she asked. Rey laid her palms flat against his and closed her eyes. So, this seemed to be a mediation thing? He wasn't really good at that; he'd always had trouble sitting still, even when he was a child. He could try though. For her. The moment he closed his eyes, he felt something shift, almost like he'd tapped into something…powerful. He'd only felt it once before, in a particularly hairy dog fight with some TIEs. He took out _nine _in rapid succession, which was impressive even for him. Had he tapped into the Force without realizing it?

Rey felt him, his curiosity melting into realization. "See? Even you have the Force."

Poe laughed. "Maybe a _tiny_ bit," he conceded. "I'll leave the miracles to you."

"Hey, don't talk like that. We made it for a reason, Poe. I believe that." They'd found _each other_ for a reason. BB-8 dropped into her world, changing it completely. The Force led him to her and by extension Poe and Finn. The Force gave her a family; she couldn't wait to see what the future would bring.

Poe desperately wanted to open his eyes and kiss her senseless, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. Rey had always been determined and forthright; they were among his favorite traits of hers. Yet, this optimism and certainty was new. He liked it. Confronting her past put her on the path to healing; he was privileged to be the person she shared that with. "Have I told you that I love you today?"

"Yeah, but you can say it again." She would never tire of the way those words sounded on his lips.

He drew their joined hands to his lips and kissed hers. "Love you."

Her skin tingled where he'd kissed her. Unbidden, her mind drifted back to the wee hours of the morning, to the flow of passion between them as they made love for the first time. "Love you too."

"So, what do you need me to do here?"

Rey re-focused on the task at hand. "Just relax. Empty your mind. Let the Force do the work."

"Gonna be hard to empty my head with you touching me, sweetheart," he teased.

"Are you gonna take this seriously?"

"Sorry, sorry. I couldn't help myself."

"At least try to focus, okay?"

He nodded, even though she couldn't see him. He could sense how important this was to her. "You have my undivided attention, Jedi."

Rey gave his hands a quick squeeze then went to work taking her own advice. For all her teasing, he was right. Touching him conjured a myriad of sensations; it took her a few minutes to block all that out. In her mind's eye, Poe's Force signature blazed around him, his passionate kind nature giving it a warm orange glow. It reminded her of his flight suit. Yes, her pilot was most at home in the skies. Fortunately, flying was a passion they shared.

She turned from him to her. She didn't really know what her Force signature looked like; she'd never given the topic much thought. She wondered if the darkness of her lineage lingered there.

He sensed her anxiety creeping up on her. "Hey," he said gently, stroking her hand with his thumb. "Stay with me, alright?"

"You felt that?"

"Yeah. Is that okay?"

She squeezed his hands. "Yeah, it's fine." If there was anyone she trusted with her emotions, it was Poe Dameron.

"We don't have to do this."

"No, no. I want to. I don't want to hide who I am anymore." She breathed deeply several times, settling herself. She willed her Force signature to life; it burned behind her closed lids. "Okay. Tell me if you can see it."

"You want me to open my eyes?" Poe asked. It felt almost _too_ easy.

"Please, before I lose it."

Poe hastened to obey her. He blinked rapidly against the sudden light that filled the room. It was bright as day, almost white, tinged with flares of deep blue around the edges. She _shined_, something he didn't need to Force to see. "Oh Force," he whispered softly.

"That bad?"

"No, it's…_you're_ gorgeous." He fought the urge to reach out and touch it; it wasn't tangible, not in the literal sense.

Rey shuddered with relief, allowing the aura to fade. "What did you see?"

"The same thing I always see when I look at you, Sunshine."

"Poe," she replied sternly.

"I mean it. It reminded me of the very first time I saw you, on Crait. Like a halo of sunshine." He leaned precariously over her and kissed her quickly. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

She shifted on the crate, moving to lean back against his chest. Poe stretched out his legs, giving her space to sit between them. "Was there…darkness?"

"A little," he replied truthfully. "But only around the edges. It only enhanced the brightness of the light."

She felt his truthfulness, but it was still hard for her to believe. "Does it scare you?"

He kissed the top of her head. "We've all got a little darkness in us, Rey. We wouldn't be human otherwise. It's what you do with it that counts."

She twisted in his arms and kissed him. He let her have control, always willing to be whatever she needed. "Feel better?

"I told Finn. About Ren, Palpatine, all of it."

"How did that go?" If Poe knew his best friend, he was sure it was fine. Finn was a good person; he was the least likely person to judge Rey for who her family had been.

"You were right. He didn't care."

"Will you hit me if I said, 'I told you so'?"

She rolled her eyes. "He felt it, Poe. When I died."

"Oh." Poe knew it was silly given what Rey had just shared with him, but it bothered him that he hadn't been able to feel it.

"I want to start doing some tests, see how extensive his sensitivity is. Plus, it will help if I find more people like me."

"If you need any help with that, I'm here."

"Still dreaming of a temple on Yavin?"

"It doesn't have to be. I'd go anywhere with you."

"No, I like the idea of Yavin. It's peaceful. And there's the Force tree."

Poe sighed. "Honestly? I just want some peace. I've been fighting almost my whole adult life. I'm exhausted."

Rey reached into his shirt and plucked out the chain he wore around his neck. It was warm from his body heat. "Poe Dameron, settle down?"

"Do you think I'd be _bad_ at it?"

"Well, you do have a tendency toward recklessness."

"_I do?_ I think someone needs to look in the mirror, sweetheart."

"Hey!"

"I'm just saying. Looks like we both have our work cut out for us."

Rey leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. The steady thump was soothing. "Good thing we're doing it together then."

He smiled. "Exactly." He was sure someone was looking for them, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Holding the woman he loved, chatting idly about the future they were going to build together? This was exactly where he wanted to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:** So, I may have stumbled on a plot in this chapter? I'm thoroughly enjoying writing this pairing, so I wanted to spend more time with them. Not sure how long this fic will be now, but I don't think anyone who's reading it will complain. My muse certainly isn't complaining. Once again, I am far from an expert in Star Wars lore, so if you see something that might be dodgy, just go with it. Also, all mistakes/typos are mine. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Chapter 5**

"Can you hand me that micro circuit welder?"

A human hand dropped the heavy gold instrument into her hand. Surprised, Rey poked her head out of the access panel. "Rose?"

Her friend waved. "Hey. Dio said you'd be here."

Rey hoisted herself up, leaving her legs dangling. "Do you need something?"

"I can't spend time with my friend?"

Rey wiped some sweat off her brow. "No, course you can. I just wasn't expecting anyone." Finn was off planet, leading the coordination with the Naboo defense force. He left before she could set her plan in motion to test his Force sensitivity. All in all, it was probably a good thing, because she didn't have the first clue how to go about doing that. There were some basic things in the ancient Jedi texts; she wanted to talk to Beaumont, since he was the Resistance's resident Jedi expert. Unfortunately, he was off world too, leading a recon mission. Since there wasn't much for her to do, she focused on fixing the Falcon. The compressor situation was starting to become a _problem._ Of course, Poe's stunt with the lightspeed skipping hadn't helped anything.

On the other hand, if she hadn't bypassed the compressor to start with, the odds of Poe's stunt setting the Falcon on fire would have been much, much less. That didn't give him the right to take crazy chances with her ship, so she just…failed to mention it to him. She wasn't so naïve as to think—despite his promise—he would _never_ pilot the Falcon again. There could be an emergency! Or she just might be generous enough to gift him a chance at the helm. If he was good.

"So, what are we fixing?"

"The compressor linked to the hyperdrive. It's been in terrible shape. There's just never been a time to overhaul the whole system." BB-8 rolled up, more parts clutched in his claw. "Thanks, Beebee."

Rose rubbed her hands together. "Well, I'm here to help if you want some company?"

Rey smiled. "Sure."

The two of them settled into the guts of the Falcon, rewiring, replacing parts, enjoying some idle chit chat. It was nice to spend some time with Rose; she liked the other woman's optimistic personality. Initially, they bonded over their shared love for fixing things; droids and ships often made more sense than people. Plus, it was nice to have another woman to talk to when Finn and Poe were driving her crazy.

BB-8 ferried back and forth, fetching parts or tracking down tools. He delighted in helping, which made Rey smile. She loved the little droid, though it was still learning boundaries. More than once over the last several days, Poe had had to gently explain to their droid that it couldn't come in their quarters anytime it wanted anymore. BB-8 was used to coming and going as it pleased, but with Poe and Rey now sharing Poe's quarters that just wasn't practical. It was a work in progress as BB-8 could be very stubborn.

Rey knew _exactly _where it got that from.

"Where's Poe?" Rose asked innocently about an hour into their work.

Rey snapped the new coupling into place before answering. "Up in command, I guess. I'm not his keeper, Rose." Sure, they were together, but they didn't spend _every _waking minute together. Just…a lot of them. There were reports of fighting on Umbara; Poe returned to their quarters very late the night before. She woke up just long enough to snuggle into his arms before falling asleep again. When she woke up in the morning, she didn't have the heart to wake him. He looked so peaceful, even boyishly handsome as he slept. He had so much on his shoulders; she wished there was more she could do to help. Today, giving him some more time to sleep was her contribution.

"Can't you sense him in the Force or something?"

"Have you been talking to Finn?"

Rose peeked over the panel. "Maybe? He's really excited to start learning how to do…you know, all that floaty stuff."

Rey laughed. "And I'll be excited to teach…once I figure out _how_."

"The books aren't helping?"

"Some. But there's so much knowledge. I don't even know it all yet." She may never know all there was to know about the power she'd been given. The only thing she was sure about was that she wanted to use it for good.

"You don't need to know it all to start teaching," Rose pointed out. "It sounds like you're afraid of something."

Rey blinked. Afraid? She'd conquered her fear on Exegol. She was ready to be a Jedi. Granted, she was still figuring out which Jedi teachings to accept and which to reject. But that didn't mean she was afraid. Did it? And yet…Luke had tried to restore the Order too. To say it had gone horribly wrong would be an understatement. Who wanted to learn the ways of the Force from an abandoned girl from Jakku? The granddaughter of Palpatine, no less?

Okay, so maybe she was afraid.

"Rose, I…"

"Is this about the Emperor thing? Because you're nothing like him, Rey. You're a _good_ person. You're already a legend!"

Rey laughed. "A legend? Yeah, no."

"You are! Half the conferences Poe deals with wonder when he's going to send the Jedi to fix things."

Rey frowned. "Wait, what? He never said anything!" Why wouldn't he say anything? If she could help, then she wanted to help!

Rose winced. "Oops."

Rey ignored her. She tossed her tools aside and climbed out of the ship's innards. Rose called after her, but Rose wasn't the person Rey needed to talk to. She needed to find Poe. Right now. They needed to have a talk.

* * *

Poe stood, stretching his arms over his head. His shoulders were sore from being hunched over the map table; he was tired. He slept longer than he anticipated; he was disappointed to wake up without Rey. She must have let him sleep in. She was an early riser, something he was still getting used to. He didn't mind too much; he usually didn't have much trouble convincing her to hang back for a little while.

So far, it was an easier change than he expected. Rey didn't have much in the way of belongings; her things fit easily into his previously spartan quarters. He had a few mementos from home, a couple of holos, his flight gear. He liked coming back and seeing her lightsaber sitting on the desk beside his helmet.

He glanced at the chrono; it was past lunchtime. He wasn't sure where Rey was, but he thought he could find her and see if she wanted to grab some lunch. He missed her.

Before he even got to the door, it hissed open. Rey stepped through, her hazel eyes flashing dangerously. "What's wrong, Sunshine?"

She waited until the door snapped shut behind her. "Don't you 'Sunshine' me, Poe Dameron. We need to talk."

"Um, okay. About what?"

"Rose said that people are asking for the Jedi. Why didn't you tell me that? How many? For how long? You said it yourself, I should be out there!"

Poe winced. "They don't know what they're asking. They want you to magically come in and solve their problems. Rey, you are _one person_. You can't solve everything!"

"I have to try! I'm a Jedi!"

"And I'm the commander here! I'm trying to figure out how best to use _all_ of our resources, including you!"

"I don't answer to you, _General!"_

"And I don't want to see you _die_ on some random moon!"

Rey opened her mouth to protest, but then she got a good look at his face. He was pleading with her to understand. She softened, just a little. "Poe, I'm a Jedi. Or I'm trying to be. You have to let me."

Poe closed the gap between them, cradling her face in his hands. "I swear I wasn't trying to keep things from you, Rey. I just…I almost lost you once. What happens if I send you into harm's way and you don't come back? The galaxy is still dangerous. And I _know_ you can take care of yourself. You're amazing and resourceful and have power that I will never fully understand. Yet…it _scares_ me."

Rey took his hands in hers, squeezing gently. "Hey, I get it. I don't want to lose you either."

Poe sighed. "Rey, there's something else I need to tell you."

"Okay."

He guided them over to his desk; his office was cramped, but the desk was solid enough. He could have taken Leia's much bigger office, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. That space was hers. He didn't think he would ever be worthy of it. He perched on the edge; Rey mimicked him. He took her hand, drawing strength from her warmth. Since she moved in his nightmares had lessened, but there was one image he couldn't get out of his head.

"You know that nightmare I told you about?"

"The one with…Kylo Ren?"

He nodded. "I didn't tell you all of it. At the end, right before you woke me up…he killed you. He stabbed you through the heart with his lightsaber. There was nothing I could do. And it's so confusing, because I know he brought you back to life and all that, but I can't get that image out of my head. I know it's not an excuse, but…"

Rey let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him. She squeezed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Poe. I didn't know."

"I didn't want you to know. He saved you. I don't want to ruin that."

"He saved me, but he also hurt me. He hurt you. Countless more. Saving me doesn't make up for that. Nothing can. But he's gone. It's left to us to rebuild what he helped break. We can't do that if we don't work together. I can help. Maybe not everyone, but I want to do what I can. And I want to do it _with_ you."

Poe curled his hands around her arm gently. "I want to do this with you too, Sunshine. I can't do it alone."

"Though you've been trying."

He leaned his head against hers. "I'm a bit stubborn, in case you missed that."

She chuckled. "I didn't, flyboy. I just like when you admit it."

"Did we just have our first fight?"

"This was hardly our first fight."

"No, I mean…as a couple. You looked like you wanted to rip my head off."

Rey considered that. "I guess we did."

"Am I…forgiven?"

"Are you going to do it again?"

"Which part?"

"Keep things from me, things I need to know about…_General."_

"Definitely not." At least she hadn't precluded surprises. That was important, because he had a big one that he wanted to spring on her. One day. Every day he got more confident that what they had could really last, but he wanted to wait until things were more settled. He wanted to ask her to be his wife once the galaxy was truly at peace.

Rey cupped his chin and turned him toward her. She pressed her lips to his; she hoped he could feel her forgiveness. She understood why he'd done it; truthfully, she worried about him just as much. Technically, as the General, he shouldn't be in the thick of the action, but she knew this man. He led from the front, not the rear. He belonged in an X-wing leading the charge. What they had was still so new; she didn't want to lose him.

"What do you think?"

"Maybe we should fight more often," he said with a smirk. He twisted just enough to grab her by the waist and haul her into his lap. Rey laughed as he kissed her again and wrapped her legs around his waist. He groaned as she sank her fingers into his thick curls; her nails lightly scratched his scalp. "Rey…"

"You started it, flyboy," she observed.

"You kissed me," he pointed out.

"Minor detail. You, General, _escalated_ things."

Poe had no comeback for that, so he resumed kissing her, slow, lazy kisses. Rey hummed and leaned into him, following his lead. She'd missed him, missed waking up to something very like this. When the kiss finally broke, she pressed her forehead to his. "Are we okay?"

"You tell me, Sunshine," he replied, pressing a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I'm the one who messed up."

"You understand why I have to help, right?"

He nodded. "I do. And it's one of the things I love about you, Rey. I just don't know what I would do if something happened to you. Again." There was no Ben Solo or anyone else who could bring her back if the worst happened.

She stroked his cheek. "When I was on Ahch-To, Master Luke told me that it conquering fear was the fate of a Jedi. Then, I was afraid of myself." Poe opened his mouth to protest, but she pressed a finger to his lips. "Do you know what I'm afraid of now?" He shook his head. "Failure. I want to bring back the Order, but what if I fail? Luke failed. The Republic failed, Poe. What if we make the same mistakes and nothing changes? I will have failed you and Finn, the whole galaxy."

"You can't put the whole galaxy on your shoulders, Rey. It is too much."

"Isn't that what you're trying to do?"

"And you see how badly I've botched that," he sighed. His girlfriend was—rightfully—upset with him. He should be giving her the space to do her Jedi thing, but he'd been selfish. He let his own fear get the better of him. If this was going to work, then he needed to do better.

"Botched is not the word I would use," she countered. "Finn's out there. We're finding homes for those peace keeping squadrons. No one said this would be _easy_, Poe."

"It's so frustrating, staying here and just…moving pieces around a star map. I'm used to being out there, getting my hands dirty."

She kissed his cheek. "I know." She brightened. "Maybe there's a mission we could do together?"

Poe sighed. "I wish. But I think Connix would actually murder me if I tried to leave just now. But you should go. One of us should be out there, doing some good."

Rey hugged him tightly; she could still feel his anxiety, but he was bravely putting it aside for her sake. If she had any more of her heart to give, she would. But he already had it all. "Love you, flyboy."

"Love you, too, Sunshine."

* * *

Rey stepped into the command center, trying not to feel self-conscious. It really was too warm for her heavy Jedi cloak, but since this was her first mission as a fully fledged Jedi Knight—at least by her reckoning—she thought she should look the part. After several hours going over the requests, she and Poe chose Rodia as her mission. There wasn't much of a First Order presence, but there was some infighting between the Rodians. Since the goal was to bring as many worlds into the hoped for Republic, Poe thought it prudent to earn them some goodwill. It was the sort of thing the Jedi had traditionally done, though Rey was far from a traditional Jedi.

She was beginning to like it that way.

Poe looked up from his holopad. "Oh wow." He said it louder than he intended; he saw Rey blush. It made him smile. Others turned to look; eyes widened in awe. Poe handed his pad to an ensign who stood next to him and moved to her side. "Let's go see if your ship's ready, Master Jedi." He slipped her hand into his, ignoring the murmurs from his command staff. Everyone that mattered already knew about him and Rey; they weren't hiding.

Rey squeezed his fingers as soon as they were outside. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm glad you came by before you left."

"Of course, I did," she chided gently.

"I put our best mechanics on Red Five. It's a wonder she flew at all after being in the water that long."

He was stalling, but she didn't argue. Leaving wasn't any easier for her. Rodia was at the opposite end of the galaxy; they had no idea how long she would be gone. "Sorry I left the Falcon in such a state." The hyperdrive was half ripped out; in her haste to be of use, she didn't have time to finish her repairs.

"It's okay. I'll look after her for you."

"But it's one less ship…"

Poe drew them to stop. "Hey, we'll be fine. I'll be waiting right here when you get back. Though I might be grayer," he joked.

She rolled her eyes. "Even then, you'd still be my Poe."

Poe smiled. "I like that."

"What?"

"Being yours. When this is all over, that's all I want. Us."

Rey smiled. "And what will we be doing?"

"Anything we want, Sunshine."

They were still in the relative privacy of the hallway, so she leaned up on her toes just a fraction so she could kiss him. Poe kissed her back, trying not to think about how long it would be until she was back in his arms. "Be safe, my Sunshine," he whispered. "Please."

"I will. Try not to get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

"You know me. Trouble magnet."

She smiled fondly. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You better. Beebee-Ate is already upset he can't go with you." The socket on the old X-wing wasn't designed for a BB model droid; R2-D2 was going with her instead. While Poe trusted Luke's old droid, he would have felt better if BB-8 were going with her. Then it would be almost like he was there too.

"Take care of it. Dio too."

"Dio doesn't like me." Every time Poe tried to speak to the skittish droid, it hid behind Rey. Poe was very kind to droids as a general rule. The exception was usually C-3PO, who had a talent for annoying even the most patient person.

"It just doesn't know you that well yet. Be patient. It'll come around."

"We're slowly acquiring a little family of droids," he teased.

"Maybe it's good practice," she replied, hugging him tight. "I didn't think it would be this hard." She wasn't even gone yet, but she knew she would miss him fiercely. They were partners in every sense now; she wanted him at her side. That simply wasn't possible this time and it made her sad.

Poe buried his head in the crook of her neck, trying to freeze this moment in his memory. "Next time," he promised. "Next time we're going together."

She nodded. "Together."

They couldn't delay her departure any longer. It would take the better part of a standard day to get to Rodia and Red Five was not a new ship. Rey took his hand firmly in hers as they headed in the direction of the open-air hangar. When they arrived, a crane was loading R2 into place. It hit her suddenly that she was leaving. On her own. As a Jedi.

Poe sensed her trepidation. "You're going to be amazing," he assured her.

"I hope so."

"I know so."

"How?"

"Because I know _you,_ Jedi. Trust your heart. It won't steer you wrong."

Rey squeezed his hands. She was grateful for the faith he had in her. "I'll be home soon."

If he didn't let her go soon, he'd lose his nerve. "Go, so you can come back to me."

Rey nodded. She released him and turned to climb the ladder. Once she was settled in the pilot's seat, Poe handed her a helmet, then he stepped back. He waited, not taking his eyes off her as the canopy descended and she began the ignition sequence. He could see her speaking to R2, but he couldn't hear her, obviously. She smiled at something the crotchety old droid said; it made him smile. The wind picked up as the engines lit; Rey gave him one final wave before the old X-wing lifted off. Poe waved back, missing her already. It was the same ache he'd felt in his chest dozens of times over the past year, whenever he and Finn had left her behind. Only then he was sure she was safe.

"Watch over her," he prayed to any gods that were listening. "Bring her back to me."

* * *

Rey's eyes widened as Rodia came into view. It was another tropical world; even from space, it was various shades of green. Seeing it up close made her a little concerned; it was habitable for humans, right? "Um, Artoo? What's the status down there?"

_Bubble domes_, came the response. _Don't worry._

She breathed a sigh of relief. She could handle this. She was expected, so she sent down a transmission to let the Rodians know she had arrived. She spent most of the journey trying to brush up on the language; it had been a while since she'd learned it. Like the flight simulator, learning languages was one of the few ways to pass the time on Jakku. Aliens of almost every species came through the Outpost; it was good to know at least a few phrases. She wasn't fluent, but she could hold her own. If she'd been able to fly the Falcon, she would have considered bringing Threepio, but she could handle this.

_He hates flying anyway,_ R2 commented.

Rey chuckled. "He does. Though you'd think he'd be used to it by now."

The old droid made a rude observation about its friend; Rey laughed harder. "Thanks, buddy. I needed that." Doing things like brushing up on her Rodian kept her from thinking too much about Poe. The trouble was, she knew exactly how he felt. Not because of the Force, but because she felt the same anxiety whenever he and Finn went out on missions during the war. She wanted to be with them, but she also needed to train. She couldn't help but wonder if that mission was the last time she would ever see them. She'd never said anything because what would have been the point? They couldn't sit around and do nothing; it was a war.

This wasn't a war, but she wasn't walking into a completely stable situation either. The Rodians had managed to subdue the remnants of the First Order on their home world, but the trouble came when not everyone agreed on what to do with the prisoners and their equipment. Some factions wanted to hand them over to a government that didn't yet exist. Others wanted to keep the tech for themselves so they could better defend Rodia in case anyone ever attacked again. Already, they were receiving reports of First Order tech out on the black market, which was not ideal. Thankfully, the whole Final Order fleet had been destroyed, along with their planet killing weapons. That was the last thing they needed falling into the wrong hands.

She received a response to her hail; a minute later, she had coordinates where she could land. She took hold of the stick and piloted the ship through the atmosphere, wondering just what the hells she'd gotten herself into.

A protocol droid was waiting for her when she landed. "Welcome, Master Skywalker."

Rey blinked for a second, then it occurred to her that the protocol droid was speaking about _her_. She still wasn't used to hearing her new name used in such a way. "Thank you for the gracious welcome," she replied, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

"If you will follow me? The Grand Protector awaits you, most anxiously."

"What about my droid? And my ship?"

"Both will be taken care of. I can see that the droid is taken to your quarters."

Quarters? How long did they expect her to stay? Granted, it was a long flight; she'd have to stay at least one night. But suddenly, she had a very bad feeling about this mission. "Lead on."

The bubble domes were fascinating; she'd never seen anything like it in person. They separated the inhabitants from the jungle outside. She spotted several large flying creatures—some even bigger than the whisper birds from Yavin—flying east. She itched to get out there and take a proper look around, but she was here for a purpose.

The city itself was all filmy glass and durasteel, but it had a certain charm. She kept her observations to herself as they moved through the Grand Protector's residence; she wanted to make a good first impression. They reached a large set of double doors; she sensed this was the Grand Protector's council chamber. She could feel the mistrust and animosity, even here.

The doors opened; Rey followed the droid through. She kept her hood up, wanting to appear as majestic as possible. The Jedi were supposed to protect the peace; she'd read a lot about that in some of the books Beaumont had lent her. If all the Jedi were now in her, she was determined to make them proud.

"Master Rey Skywalker of the Jedi Order," the protocol droid announced.

All talk ceased. Over a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward her, black and shining. She'd only met a handful of Rodians in her life; all bounty hunters. She'd never seen them in their native environment. Their green skin was as varied as the green in the skies; there were three of above average height. One regarded her warily; his eyes darted to where her lightsaber was hidden under her robes.

Rey stepped forward and gave the figure seated in the largest chair a slight bow. "Greetings, Grand Protector."

"Let me see your face." The voice was gravely and rough; this was a man used to getting his own way.

Rey lowered her hood. There were murmurs, most of them in Rodian. She caught snatches, most were about her youth, a few others about her gender. She willed herself to remain calm. "As you can see…"

"You don't look like much of a Jedi." It was a statement, not a question.

"I assure you, I am. I was trained by General Organa herself."

"Didn't know she was a Jedi either."

This was getting them nowhere. "You requested assistance from General Dameron, Grand Protector. He sent me."

"This general sent us a little girl! It is an insult!" someone piped up. Others chorused their agreement. The meanest looking one actually got down from his seat and approached. Rey kept completely still as he walked around her, sizing her up. She was more than a head taller than the Rodian; she noted the blaster he kept in his holster. A First Order model. He must have been one of the hard heads advocating for using the tech.

"What do you think, Shibb Chirk?" another of his compatriots called. "She even worth fighting?"

The Rodian shrugged. "Nah." He spat at the floor, right at Rey's feet. "Come back when you've got a few more parsecs on you."

Rey waited until he was several feet away before she held out her hand. Shibb Chirk's blaster flew into it, making everyone jump. Chirk cried out in protest, barking rapidly in Rodian to his followers. Rey spun around, simultaneously throwing her cloak and the blaster aside. She lept into the air, executing a perfect somersault; she landed with her lightsaber ignited and at the ready. Her research had warned her that she'd be tested, but this wasn't what she'd had in mind. Chirk's followers were already shooting at her; she deflected each blaster bolt with ease, sending the last right back at Shibb Chirk. It landed right beside his head, just as she intended.

"You were saying?"

* * *

"I think that's the last of them," Connix said, stifling a yawn.

"Until tomorrow, you mean," Poe replied, running his fingers through his messy curls. His days had become nothing but requisitions and strategy sessions with the temporary leadership coalition, currently located on Onderan. He'd finally given them his proposal for reinstituting Republic fleet and armed forces; elections were all well and good, but a well-organized military was how they would maintain peace. Already, there were rumors that he planned to lead the new force himself.

They had no idea how wrong they were.

He'd given his life to service. He was proud of all he'd accomplished, the obstacles he'd helped overcome. Yet, Poe had a completely different future in mind. It wasn't solid yet, but he liked to daydream about it. Indeed, that was all he could do while the person that he intended on sharing that future with was so far away.

Rey had been gone for six days. It felt longer, probably because he wasn't sleeping well. He pulled double shifts in command, read countless reports, anything to distract himself. He even spent the last couple of nights in the Falcon, working on the hyperdrive. Ever faithful, BB-8 was helping him; Poe could tell he missed Rey too. After the first time Poe fell asleep deep in the bowels of the old freighter, BB-8 brought him a pillow and blanket from the captain's quarters. Poe took the hint, choosing to sleep there. It seemed silly, but he felt closer to Rey somehow.

They'd spoken once, shortly after she arrived. She told him all about the little test the Rodians sprung on her; Poe wished he could have seen their faces. Rey could be quite fearsome when she wanted to be. Since then she'd been mediating the negotiations and preventing any more fighting from breaking out. He'd received two more messages from her, but they were brief, just letting him know she was safe. He wouldn't be truly at ease until she was back in his arms.

Still, he loved seeing her succeed like this. He knew she would; Rey was good at everything she put her mind to. He realized just how selfish he'd been—even subconsciously. He needed to find a way to accept that he would probably always share her with the rest of the galaxy; it was part of her destiny as a Jedi. He couldn't keep her from it. All he could do was support her and cheer her on.

Though, next time, he wanted to do that in person.

He was about to head over to the Falcon when the on-duty ensign mentioned that a holo was coming in. Hoping it was Rey, he had it routed to his office. "Hey, oh, hey, Finn."

Finn crossed his arms over his chest. "Expecting someone else?"

Poe looked away, caught. "Sorry, buddy."

"Rey's still not back?"

Poe shook his head. "It's been six days."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"She is." He might not understand the bond between them the way she did, but he knew he would _know_ if something terrible happened.

Finn nodded. "I know. I was just trying to be reassuring."

Poe laughed dryly. "Well, thanks. I think. I don't know how to explain it, but we're more…aware of each other than before. When she's here, I can sometimes feel her moods change." He couldn't at this distance, but it was more than he felt before.

"Welcome to the club, man."

Poe ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not quite in your league. But I'll take it."

Finn smiled. "Hey, I'm still figuring this Force stuff out. I doubt either of us will be in Rey's league."

"She is pretty special, isn't she?"

"And, for some reason, she's in love you with, Dameron, so don't blow it."

"Working on it, buddy." Poe decided to change to the subject, because Finn didn't holo him to talk about Rey. "How are things on Naboo?" Finn went through the recent developments; it seemed promising so far. Finn was trying to supplement the Naboo forces with former stormtroopers, all volunteers. They didn't really know anything aside from soldiering, so Finn thought it was a good place for a trial run. As the former home world of the Emperor, the irony was not lost on Poe.

"You know, if you can make this work," Poe said thoughtfully, "it could be a good source for recruits in the new Republic army and navy, if I can ever get them to approve it."

"That's what I thought! Those that have other skills can be reintegrated elsewhere. How's that going by the way?"

"Terrible. Half of them don't want any armed forces at all."

"After they practically _begged_ us to restore order? That's bantha shit."

"I don't disagree, buddy. But you know politicians. They can never agree on anything."

"Well, the Queen here sure seems to be grateful. She'd been nothing but supportive."

"That's really good, Finn. Good work. Maybe you should have her put in a good word with the Council."

"You know? I think I will."

Poe was curious about something else. "How's Jannah?"

It was Finn's turn to look away. "Good. She's been helping the Nabooese dismantle the Star Destroyer that crashed."

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and'?"

Poe arched a brow at his friend. "You can't lie to me, buddy. You've had a thing for her since you met her. Don't deny it. As you know, I am well versed in the signs now."

Finn looked almost panicked. "It's not like that," he tried to protest.

"Then what _is_ it like? Not so much fun being on that end of the interrogation now, is it?" Poe tried to sound smug, but he really did just want his friend to be happy. Poe watched as Finn's crush on Rey fizzled out; then Finn and Rose circled each other for a while. He wasn't sure if anything happened _there_, but as a former stormtrooper, it made sense that he'd be drawn to someone who had a similar life experience. "Is it because of Rose?" he asked, more gently.

Finn sighed, defeated. "I honestly don't know. For a while I thought we had something, then I met Jannah and…my head hurts just thinking about it. Your love life is so much easier."

"That's because I'm a one person kinda guy," Poe said with a grin. "And I've already found her."

"You are the luckiest son of a bitch in the galaxy, man."

"Don't I know it." He sobered. "Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you should talk to them? See where you stand?"

Finn looked horrified. "I can't do that! That'll just make everything awkward!"

"Listen, Finn. I was in love with Rey long before I could admit it out loud. Let me tell you, when I did? It was the best thing I ever did. Being honest is always better. Things may be awkward in the short term, but at least then you'll know. It's better than wondering."

Finn shook his head in disbelief. "You make it sound easy."

"Trust me, it's not. Telling Rey how I felt was the scariest thing I've ever done. I'd have rather faced down at armada of TIEs in that moment, but Finn, _it was worth it._ Even if she didn't love me back, it felt good just saying it."

"But she does. Love you, I mean."

"Yeah, but my point is…someone had to take that first step. I had my dad be the one to give me a kick in the ass, now I'm doing the same for you. I just want you to be happy, buddy. However that is, with whomever. We're family, Finn. Nothing's going to change that."

Finn thought about that for a long moment. Doing as Poe suggested still seemed insane, but he was at a loss otherwise. "Thanks, Poe."

"Anytime, Finn."

"You should get some sleep. Even through this thing, you look like hell."

Poe laughed. "Gee, thanks."

"She'll be back soon, Poe. You'll see."

Poe switched off the holo and sighed. Finn was right. He _was_ exhausted. He considered going back to his quarters, but they felt lonely without Rey. That left the Falcon. The corridors were quiet as he left; much of the base was down for the night. BB-8 was waiting for him, beeping a question. "Not tonight, buddy. We'll work on her tomorrow, okay? Let's see if we can get her running before Rey gets back."

BB-8 protested, declaring that it had something it needed to show Poe. Right now. Not really in the mood for games, Poe followed anyway. When they arrived at the work sight, it looked a lot different than when he'd last seen it. Taped to one of the hoses was a note.

_Poe,_

_Sorry for barging in unannounced, but me and some of the other mechanics thought we'd help out. Great job on the rewiring for the compressor coils; I would have never thought of that! Anyway, BB-8 asked us to help since you keep falling asleep. Don't worry; your secret is safe with me. We've got most of the rebuilding done. There are only a few odds and ends left; I thought I would leave them to you. This is the kind of gift a girl can appreciate!_

_Rose_

Poe looked from his droid to the hyperdrive and back. He was speechless. "You did all this, buddy?" BB-8's optical socket nodded vigorously. Poe knelt down and hugged his faithful droid. Poe hadn't really considered working on the hyperdrive as a gift per se; he'd been using it as a distraction. But now that Rose had put the idea in his head…he knew Rey would love it. And he had done a lot of the work himself. Rose had been helping her before, so he didn't consider Rose's assistance cheating.

The next time he went to Yavin, he was bringing Rose back the biggest koyo melon he could find. "Okay. This is good. Tomorrow, you and me, we're gonna finish this up," he said to BB-8. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Rey's going to _love _this."

* * *

"No, Artoo, I'm sure we'd have heard something," she said to her companion as she maneuvered the X-wing into land. She hadn't sent word ahead that she was on her way back; she wanted to surprise Poe. Though the idea of him waiting for her in the landing area had its appeal. She waffled about her decision most of the way back; they'd been parted for nearly a full standard week. She missed him. A lot.

Still, she was glad she'd taken the mission. So far, it seemed to be a success. The Rodians decided to hand all the weapons of war—guns, missiles, troop transports, etc—over to the Resistance, while taking all the other tech for themselves. It had taken over five days of careful negotiation; her patience was tested more than once. In those moments, she would stop and ask herself what Leia might have done. Leia would choose _peace_ above all.

Rey couldn't wait to tell Poe all about it. For the first time, she could almost imagine herself at his side in the future he liked to talk about. He had a lot more experience in the ways of the galaxy; despite her status as a Jedi, she worried about her youth and people taking her seriously. If she was going to train a new generation of Jedi and help influence the future of the galaxy, she could think of no better partner to have beside her than Poe.

Red 5 landed neatly in first landing spot she could find. R2 loosened the canopy for her; she reached up to remove her helmet. Almost instantly, the familiar scent of oil, fumes and greenery hit her; it was good to be home. Mechanics were already running forward to see to her ship. She looked around; she didn't see anyone she knew. Where was everyone?

Rey climbed out of the cockpit and jumped down the ladder. She started scanning the area for Poe; she was sure she'd know his distinctive thatch of dark curls anywhere.

"Rey! Over here!"

She turned, hoping her friend didn't notice the way her smile faltered. Just a tad. "Rose," she replied, closing the gap and hugging her friend.

"It is good to have you back."

"Good to be back. How's, um, everything?" She was still searching for her pilot out of the corner of her eye. Where the Force was he?

"Good. We missed you though."

"I missed you too."

Rose smiled knowingly. "But it's not me you're looking for, right?"

Rey blushed. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I happen to know exactly where he is."

"You're going to make me ask, aren't you?"

Rose beamed. "Finn is right. You two are _adorable."_

The little patience she had left was fraying. "Rose…"

"He's on the Falcon. Been there most of the week actually."

"Really? Why?"

"You'll just have to see for yourself."

Rey wasn't sure what kind of game Rose was playing, but if Poe was on the Falcon, then that's where she needed to be. As she headed in that direction, she did think it was strange that neither D-O nor BB-8 had come to greet her. The former made more sense; the loud sounds of the hangar made the little droid nervous. But BB-8 was always there, almost like he thought of Rey as his other owner.

The gangway was down on the Falcon; she walked up silently. She heard a banging sound, which was mildly alarming. She headed in the direction of the noise; as she approached, she recognized the area she'd been working in before she left. She heard BB-8's distinctive beeps, then a low curse.

"Buddy, the other one," Poe muttered, reaching his arm out of the hole in the floor.

Rey came up short, blinking in disbelief. Poe was _working on the Falcon._ He was half bent into the access tunnel, his once clean shirt stained with oil and grease. Moreover, that position provided her with a _spectacular_ view of his ass.

And just like that, she was a little lightheaded.

"Um, Poe?"

Poe jumped at the sound of her voice. He jumped so hard he nearly fell _into_ the tunnel head first! "Rey!" he cried, struggling to push himself up. Getting into the tunnel like this had seemed so much easier an hour ago. BB-8 beeped excitedly, ignoring his master's struggles. In the few seconds it took Poe to right himself, his droid had rolled right into Rey's arms. "I see how it is, buddy. You love her more than me, huh?"

Rey giggled, giving the droid a fond tweak before sidestepping around him. She couldn't stop smiling. She ignored all the dirt and soot and grease as she threw herself into Poe's waiting arms. It felt like coming _home._

"Force, I missed you, Sunshine," he murmured into her shoulder.

Rey tightened her hold on him, so happy to be home. "Missed you too." She felt the force of his ache deep in her soul; she hoped he could feel hers.

"I'm getting dirt all over your Jedi robes," he chuckled, still not letting her go for a second.

"Don't care." She cradled the back of his head, guiding his lips to hers. His face carried a few black smudges, but she didn't care about that either. Nothing could diminish the sweetness of his kiss. She dreamed about this moment almost from the moment she left; the reality was better.

Poe was more than content to follow her lead; he was overjoyed to have her back. She fit perfectly in his arms; it felt like the last week was nothing more than a bad dream. His fingers plucked at the ties in her hair, freeing her dark locks from its confines. Rey gave him a downright _naughty_ grin as he toyed with the strands; the effect on him was almost instantaneous.

"How much did you miss me, sweetheart?" he whispered in her ear. Rey gripped his shoulders tight as he twisted them around and pressed her lithe form into the bulkhead.

Rey shivered, her eyes flickering over him. His shirt was soaked in sweat, streaked with dirt and grease; it _clung_ to his torso in a way that made her warm and tingly all over. The sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms, also smudged with grease. Coupled with her earlier view, her thoughts were sliding in a whole new and more exciting direction. "A lot," she whispered, sucking in a harsh breath as his hand brushed the swell of her breast. "I missed you a _lot."_

"Good. Me too." His deep set eyes danced with mischief as his lips crashed against hers once more, stealing her breath. Rey let out a mewling sound, her body instinctively arching into his. He bit back a groan, surprised by her forwardness. "Patience, sweetheart."

Need for him burned under her skin; they'd become lovers relatively recently, but after a week without him, she wanted to forget about everything _out there._ All she wanted was _him._ "You're the least patient person I know," she breathed, skimming her fingers down his chest until her hand rested against his taut fly. "Besides, I can _feel_ you, flyboy."

Poe cursed, his hips instinctively rocking into her touch. "Force, I missed you," he growled, kissing her hard before scooping her into his arms. "Beebee-Ate, head outside and lock up the ship. We're going to be a while."

"Where are we going?" she asked. "And I can walk you know!"

"Indulge me, Sunshine. I've wanted to do this since I caught you falling out of that sand trap."

That brought her up short. She remembered that moment, how safe she felt with Poe's arms around her. For the briefest of moments. "You yelled for me. You sounded so panicked."

He kissed her forehead as he navigated the halls of the Falcon. It was slightly awkward given the tightness of his pants. "The galaxy's a very dull place without my Sunshine."

How did he know exactly what to say to make her heart beat faster? She leaned up and kissed him, hanging onto his neck as he took them…wherever they we going. A set of doors hissed open; a passing glance confirmed this was the captain's quarters. Poe dropped her on the edge of the bed, still kissing her as they fell back against the mattress.

"I should…fresher…" he muttered between kisses. He didn't know if it was their recent parting or his imagination, but Rey seemed more confident than before she left. They were still learning things about each other, things they liked. He definitely liked _this_.

"Why?" she asked, reaching for the buttons of his shirt.

"Because I'm covered in grease," he said, moving so she could get his shirt off. "I didn't think you'd be back today, Sunshine."

"Wanted to surprise you," she confessed, gently pressing him onto his back. She traced the muscles of his torso with her fingertips; she liked the way they jumped under her touch.

Poe groaned, her exploratory touch going straight to his groin. "I will definitely encourage such surprises in the future." Abruptly, he took her hand in his, using his heavier frame to flip them over again. Rey's hazel eyes were molten; her lips swollen and kiss bitten. "We could always…share the shower," he said, quirking a brow at her.

"I'm pretty filthy too," she observed, grinning back at him. "All day in an X-wing and all that."

"Shame to waste water on two showers then."

"Yes, shame."

Poe pushed himself up, then he held out his hand. Rey took it, following him into the much smaller room. The moment the door snapped closed Poe pinned her against it, his mouth hot on hers. She kissed him back with equal relish, their hands fumbling with her clothes. Her belt fell to the ground with a heavy thud; she guided him in removing the yards of fabric that wrapped around her. The flowing white was already stained, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for getting as close to her lover as possible. Rey cupped Poe's scruffy cheeks and drew his lips to hers.

"I missed you so much," she murmured.

Poe allowed the last of gauzy fabric to fall to the floor, leaving her in nothing but her tunic, leggings and boots. "Not as much as I missed you," he replied, leaning in to suck gently on her pulse. Rey bit her lip, one hand sliding into his sweaty curls while the other slid around his waist. It was a good thing he had her braced against the door because his lips and tongue on her body were making her knees weak.

"I thought…kriff…we were showering…" Rey panted, her hips rolling instinctively toward his.

"Always so impatient," he chuckled, fingering the hem of her top. Rey raised her arms so he could take it off, joining the rest of her clothes on the floor. "Now we're even."

"Not quite." She started unwinding her breast band herself, enjoying the way his dark eyes drank her in. The lights in the fresher were bright, but she wasn't shy about her body. Not with him. She encouraged him to touch, despite the fact that his hands were still dirty. There was something about finding him working on the Falcon that fueled her need for him. She arched into his touch as he weighed each breast in his hands. She hummed in pleasure as he teased her nipples; waves of arousal soaked her core. "Poe," she breathed, her voice thready.

"I know." He didn't stop her as she reached for his pants; her delicate fingers making quick work of his fly. Their mouths crashed together in another heated kiss as she shoved the material over his hips. From then on it was a near frantic tug and pull of fabric as leggings, pants and boots joined the pile of clothes in the corner. They were still kissing as Poe tried to guide them to the stall and turn on the water. Her pale skin was now smudged with dirt, but she didn't seem to mind.

She was trying not to stare. Their previous rounds of lovemaking occurred in low light or outright darkness. Not necessarily on purpose; it was more due to the circumstances, be it late at night or early morning before starting the day. And those times she could count on one hand. She'd never gotten to see him properly and now she was regretting that oversight.

She'd always thought he was handsome. How could she not? She wasn't blind. Even before they became a couple, she'd catch herself staring at his profile when he wasn't looking. She didn't have to hide anymore, but having him naked in front of her was overwhelming her senses in the best way. As he tested the water, she ran a line of kisses over his collarbone, while her fingertips grazed his torso. Moving lower, she brushed his erection, earning her a low groan.

"Rey, kriffing hell," he gasped as she took him into her hand.

"Water ready?" she asked innocently.

"Depends on how _hot_ you want it."

She twisted her hand slightly, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back in his head. "You choose."

She was going to kill him. Poe drew her in for one last heated kiss before opening the door. The fresher was probably too cramped for two people, but he didn't care. He needed her too badly; it seemed she felt the same. Water sluiced over her skin as he closed the door firmly behind him; Rey didn't hesitate in pressing her body against his. Their nearly equal heights made things easier; he could hold her without as much fear of tipping over.

"Hmm, maybe we should wash," she murmured, kissing him.

"As you wish." He found a cloth and soap, nodding at her to turn. Rey did as he asked, her heart tripping in her chest. She leaned against his chest as he slowly worked a soapy lather into her skin, exploring every inch of her that he could reach. It was gentle and sensual all at the same time; she had to grip the rail to stay upright. He paid special attention to places that made her shiver and moan, murmuring how much he loved her in her ear. Water and soap rolled down her body; her eyes fell closed as she soaked it all in. He touched her everywhere, everywhere except where she needed him most.

His clever hands set her on fire from the inside out; she a_ched_ for him. She tried to grind her ass against his erection, but he stilled her with one strong hand. "Do you know how badly I want you right now?" he growled in her ear.

"Poe. Please," she whined. She took his hand and guided it to the apex of her thighs. He obliged her, quickly finding her swollen clit. "Oh gods."

Every instinct was demanding he bend her over and simply take her, but he wouldn't. She deserved better than that from him. She twisted slightly, her mouth seeking his as he teased her. "Rey…"

Rey gripped his shoulders, nodding hard. "More. Don't stop."

He did as she bid, perching her precariously on the small ledge. "Hang on to me." He pressed two fingers into her tight heat; Rey arched into him. She dragged his mouth back to hers, kissing him hungrily as his fingers pumped in and out of her. She was so aroused that she climaxed quickly, her walls squeezing rhythmically around his digits.

"Better," she breathed, leaning her head against the wall. Pleasure flowed through her system; she wasn't quite so on edge.

Poe chuckled. "Glad to be of service."

She opened her eyes. "That's not what I…"

He cut her off with a kiss. "I know, sweetheart, I know."

Rey forced herself to stand on shaky legs. She leaned in to kiss him, sweetly this time. "Your turn." She took the abandoned cloth and soap, pretending to study him critically. His tan skin was flushed from the shower, his muscles taut with anticipation. There was no denying it; he was gorgeous.

And all hers.

Rey followed his lead, starting at the top and working her way down. She abandoned the cloth pretty quickly, as she preferred her hands on his body. He did too, leaning into her touch as she washed him. Dirt and grease fell away; her hands lingered on the few scars he carried. His arm no longer carried a mark from the blaster hit she'd healed, but he had others. A long thin line on his hip, a jagged mark under his right arm pit. She kissed each one, hoping he could feel how much she loved him. Poe was a survivor, just like her. They'd survived war and torture and too many horrors to name.

The Force brought them together for a reason; she couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.

Poe breathed deeply, struggling to remain still. She clearly wanted to explore; he wanted to let her. But it had been _so long_ since anyone touched him like this, since he _felt_ as loved as he did right now. She littered his body with kisses, almost as if she were cleansing his soul as well as his body.

She washed him thoroughly, even giving his bum a firm squeeze. "Don't play with fire, Sunshine," he warned as she moved her hands over the V of his hips.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm hanging on by a thread here." His hands were braced on the wall; his breathing was shallow. His erection was back full force now, begging to be buried inside her once more.

"Good." Touching him like this had her aroused all over again; she'd been yearning for him for a week. It was time.

"Good?"

"I thought you missed me?" she asked, smirking. "But if not…" She started to open the stall, but he stopped her hand.

"You just want to get dirty all over again, don't you, Sunshine?" he growled.

"Yes, please."

Poe shut off the water abruptly and yanked open the door. He didn't bother drying off; instead, he picked her up and twined her legs around his waist. Rey laughed merrily as he marched them to the bed. They fell into it, still laughing. Poe kissed his way up her belly, her sternum, her delicate throat, until they were eye level once more. He stared deeply into her eyes until she couldn't take it, kissing him deeply. She mewled as he tested her readiness; she was slick and swollen. "Kriff."

She spread her legs invitingly. Poe didn't need to be asked twice. He captured her lips in another hungry kiss as he pressed forward, filling her in a single deep stroke. She dug her blunt nails into his skin, a curse tumbled from her lips. _"Gods."_

Poe paused long enough for her to adjust, though just barely. His memories of her had not done her justice; if there was an afterlife, this was what he imagined it felt like. She kissed him deeply; silently giving him permission to move. The feel of her around him was perfection; he never wanted to leave her again. His lover wasn't passive by any means; she moved with him, meeting his thrusts with her own, her hands wandering his body. Even now, his orgasm tingled at the base of his spine, but he fought it, needing her to come with him.

Rey bit her lip, the sounds and sensations of their lovemaking surrounding her. She could feel _him_, not simply inside her physically, but spiritually. It was like the sun coming up after a long night. It was impossible to tell where she ended and he began. "Poe…oh gods…"

He silenced her with a kiss, then he flipped them over, so he was on his back. They both whined in complaint as he slipped from her briefly; Rey hummed in pleasure she watched him guide her back. She straddled his lap, only this time with them locked together as intimately as two people could be. "Easy," he coaxed, his hand on her hip.

She followed his voice, rolling her hips, grinding until they found a rhythm. She felt powerful like this, controlling the pace. Poe couldn't take his eyes off her as she rode him; he'd never gotten to watch her before. Not like this. She was utterly _free_, no cares, no worries or responsibilities marring her beautiful face.

He wanted to spend the rest of his life making her feel like this.

Rey's hips faltered a bit as the pad of his thumb brushed her swollen nub. "Gods."

Poe pushed himself up, wrapping his free arm around her waist. "Missed you," he murmured in her ear. "Missed the way you feel around me. Missed all the sounds you make as you come." He pressed harder against her clit; her walls were already fluttering around him. Rey held on, her hips moving faster and harder, her climax coiling tighter in her belly. "Take me with you, Sunshine. _Please."_

Rey keened loudly as his words drove her over the edge. Her hips faltered, but Poe was there, guiding her, holding her hips firmly against his as she climaxed. He groaned as he let go himself, cock pulsing in her tight sheath. He tingled from head to toe, rutting into her until he was spent.

They collapsed back into the bed, both breathing hard. Rey lay stretched out across his chest; she smiled as his arms came around her. "Happy?" he asked, even though he could _feel _her joy.

She nodded. "Very happy." She placed a kiss right over his heart. "I really did miss you."

"Do you wanna hear a confession?"

"Sure."

"I couldn't stay in our quarters. It was lonely without you."

"So where…?"

"Here. The first couple of days I pulled double shifts in command. Then BB-8 reminded me of the work you were doing, rebuilding the hyperdrive. So, we made it our project. I was so tired that I kept falling asleep. He finally forced me to sleep in a bed. This was the nearest one." He flushed. "It smelled like you."

She kissed his lips. "I meditated a lot," she confessed. "And when I did sleep, I dreamed of you."

"Good dreams, I hope?" They both suffered from nightmares; he didn't want to be a source of pain for her, especially when he wasn't there to comfort her.

She smiled. "Yeah. But I would have much rather had you there with me."

"Agreed." He placed a parting kiss to her temple as she rose to clean up. The sheets under them were damp from their shower; he stripped those off and found a couple of fresh pillows and blankets. He was just getting settled when she returned. "Might be easier to stay here tonight."

She slid in beside him, still naked. He could get used to that. "You did have Beebee-Ate guard the door."

"Just making sure we weren't interrupted again," he replied, holding her close.

Rey giggled. "He's just trying to look out for us."

"Well, he can do it when I'm _not_ making love to my beautiful girlfriend."

Rey blushed. "Stop it."

"What? Am I not allowed to tell the truth now?" Rey was beautiful, but what really made her shine was her compassionate kind heart. The heart that made her a friend to nearly everyone she met, including droids. Now that he knew that he loved her, he realized just how much better his life was with her in it.

She decided to change the subject. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Not really. Though I have a feeling that once word of your mission gets out, I'll never see you. Everyone will want Rey Skywalker to solve their problems."

"You don't even know if I succeeded!" They'd been so wrapped up in their reunion that he'd never asked.

Poe laughed. "Sunshine, I never had any doubts, remember? I knew you'd be great. I also knew you wouldn't come back until the mission was complete."

"Thank you for encouraging me," she said. "I think it was just what I needed."

"Yeah?"

"Why have all this power if I can't use it for good? I'm still figuring out what kind of Jedi I want to be."

"Clearly not the celibate kind."

She smiled and blushed. "That doesn't sound like a complaint, flyboy." She raised her head; she looked serious. "The Jedi were against relationships and attachments because they believed fear of loss would lead to the Dark Side." _Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering._ Those were the words of Master Yoda. But she felt like that was a far too simplistic view of the world. Her love for her friends gave her strength on Exegol. Luke's love for his sister helped him buy the Resistance valuable time on Crait. Even Ben, his love for his mother brought him back to the light. Rey just couldn't see how loving Poe and being loved by him in return could be a terrible thing. His faith in her was everything.

"What do _you_ think?" Poe asked carefully.

She cradled Shara's ring in her hand. "I think that's a perfect recipe for loneliness," she said honestly. "I've been alone almost my whole life. I think that if the Force meant for me to be alone forever, it wouldn't have dropped Beebee-Ate in my path. My path always led here, Poe. To you. And Finn and Rose and Chewie. 'The belonging you seek lies ahead.' Maz said that to me the day I met her on Takadona. I didn't understand what she meant. I do now."

_Will you marry me?_ The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he refused to give them voice. He vowed to wait until the galaxy was more settled. Until he and Rey had a concrete plan for the future. For now, he was content to show her how much he loved her. "I'm here, Rey. For as long as you want me."

"I know." She brushed a kiss to his lips. "Me too."

Poe stretched out on his side; Rey copied him, allowing them to face each other. Neither spoke; they didn't need to. The love they felt for each other had only grown stronger during their time apart. Poe simply wanted to soak her in, enjoy this time before they had to return to everything outside. Here there were no generals, no Jedi. They were simply Poe and Rey, two people figuring out a future together, one breath at a time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note:** I'm trying to post updates to this once a week; we'll see if I succeed. Friendly reminders: it's rated M for a reason, people. Also, I haven't read/consumed every bit of the new canon material, so hopefully, you'll all bear with me. All typos are also mine. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Chapter 6**

The bed creaked, rousing Poe from his sleep. His nose crinkled almost immediately; dark chestnut hair tickled his nose. He fought the urge to sneeze, cognizant of Rey still slumbering beside him. Her back was to him; he'd instinctively curled around her, holding her close. He smiled to himself, recalling their reunion the night before. At least he was pretty sure it was still night. Sleep tugged at him; he didn't want to even look at a chrono. He desperately wanted to keep everything outside at bay and enjoy holding the woman he loved a little bit longer.

Gently, he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder and tightened his grip around her middle. She stirred slightly, her legs twining more with his. Once he was certain she was still asleep, he allowed himself to sink back into slumber.

Rey rolled over, not wanting to open her eyes. She was warm and comfortable; she'd slept better than she had in days. Once she got past their initial test, the Rodians had been perfectly hospitable, but nothing compared to waking up in Poe's arms. They hadn't drifted far from each other, even in sleep. Deep down, she knew this wouldn't be the last time they were separated, but she would never look forward to those separations. This was the future she wanted, living a life together with the man she loved.

"Go back to sleep," Poe murmured, drawing her against his chest. "I can hear you thinking."

She chuckled, resting her head on his chest. "Someone's probably looking for us," she replied, sliding her leg between his.

"That's why Beebee's guarding the ship," he reminded her, refusing to open his eyes. "Just a little longer."

She couldn't argue with his logic, but she wasn't feeling very sleepy anymore. Instead, she tilted her head back a little so she could see his face. The room was still dim, but she could make out his features. He appeared to be asleep, but she knew he wasn't. Still, he looked utterly peaceful and content. It was a side of him that no one else got to see; she cherished it.

Poe could feel her gaze on him; he fought the urge to smile. He'd missed this so much while she was away. He could work himself to exhaustion; he could sleep in a place that reminded him of her. But nothing could replace this feeling. He could have drifted off again, then her hand started to wander. She hummed softly; her fingertips skimmed his hip. An innocent touch, but it was enough to get his attention. "Rey," he groaned softly.

"Hmmm?" She continued to draw nonsense on his skin; she hadn't gotten to explore him as much as he had her. He was warm to the touch, his muscles twitching under her fingertips.

"Don't start something you don't intend to finish, sweetheart."

She smirked into his skin. "Who says I am?"

He stilled her hand, which had been drifting in a decidedly southern direction. "I do."

"That a problem?" she asked, pressing her lips to his chest. She looked up at him through her lashes, twining their fingers together. This was a bit of uncharted territory for her; he usually took the lead in their lovemaking.

"Only if you stop, sweetheart."

She grinned, stretching up to kiss him. Poe growled as he grabbed her by the waist, hauling her atop him. He hastily yanked the tangled parts of their blanket away as she kissed him breathless; he needed to feel her against him. Rey, it seemed, felt the same, arching against him. She shivered as he traced her curves with his hands; she loved the roughness against her skin. Already, heat began to pool in her belly; she ground her hips against his. "Poe…"

"Force, I missed this," he breathed, his body responding to her eagerness. Her lips slid wetly over his collar, down his chest. Like in the shower, she was caressing every inch she could reach with her lips and tongue. The lower she went, the harder he became. His breathing came in harsh pants; his cock twitched in anticipation. She licked and laved a particularly sensitive spot on his hip; Poe moaned loudly. "Rey, Rey, Rey. Oh Force."

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, worrying her lip between her teeth.

"No, no, you are perfect," he assured her. He made the mistake of looking down; her delicate sweet mouth hovering right over his aching cock. "And I'm going to hell."

"Why?"

"Because I've imagined a moment exactly like this." He would never ask her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with; all of this was still very new to her. She was supposed to be a Jedi and here he was thoroughly corrupting her with his carnal desire for her.

She frowned, confused. She searched his feelings in the Force; she couldn't fathom why he should feel so conflicted. She seduced _him_; she wanted to be with him. He'd made her feel things she could never have _imagined_; she wanted to do the same for him. She wanted to learn; she wanted him to teach her what he liked. She didn't like to think about it, but she knew he'd had lovers before her. "Tell me?"

Poe bit his lip. She didn't know what she was asking of him. "I…" She ran her thumb over the firm ridge of his cock; it jumped under her touch and he groaned. "That," he panted finally. "But with your mouth."

"Oh." She recalled her surprise the first time he used his mouth on her, but she also knew how _amazing _it felt. She could do that. Tentatively, she lowered her head, her hair falling around her as she licked a long strip along his length. Poe's sharp intake of breath encouraged her; she did it again, slower this time.

"Kriffing hell," he swore, instinctively sliding his fingers into her hair. "Don't stop."

His hand wasn't forceful, but she was more than willing to accept his guidance. She experimented, licking, kissing, stroking. She focused on the sounds he made, the way the cords tightened in his neck. She found that she liked making him feel good; it fueled her desire for him. She swiped her tongue across the swollen head of his erection; she blinked at the saltiness she tasted on his skin. But his low moan of pleasure made her core clench. Curious, she scooted up enough to take the entire tip into her mouth, sucking gently.

"_Oh Force!"_ Poe shouted, nearly coming on the spot. He hadn't expected her to just _go there_; he nearly embarrassed himself.

"Was that okay?" she asked, worried.

Poe groaned. "More than, Sunshine. Just…don't do anything you're not comfortable with, okay?"

"But you…like this?"

He nodded. "Very much, but…" His words were cut off by another moan as she ignored whatever he was going to say and took him back into her mouth. She appreciated his concern, but she was an adult. A woman very much in love with the man in her bed. She wanted to give him as much pleasure as he gave to her. Once again, his fingers tightened in her hair; her core throbbed in response. She followed his lead, bobbing up and down, keeping her lips fused to his skin. He didn't taste anything like she expected, but she didn't hate it.

Poe fisted the sheets with his free hand; he summoned all his willpower to _not_ thrust into her mouth. She was warm and wet and perfect, better than any fantasy. Her tongue grazed the very sensitive spot just below the head; Poe jerked, a curse tumbling from his lips. His orgasm was far too close for comfort now. "Rey…sweetheart…"

"Hmmm?"

Gods, the vibrations of her mouth nearly did him in. "You have to stop, Sunshine. Or this will be over far too soon." The moment she released him, he rolled them over, his mouth seeking hers. She mewled into his kiss, sinking her fingers into his curls. Poe kissed her thoroughly, groaning as she hitched her leg over his hip. "Gods, Rey…"

"Need you," she whispered, bucking against him. "Please."

It would never fail to floor him that one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy needed _him_. "Love you, Sunshine," he murmured. He kissed her one last time before he tapped her hip. "Trust me?" She nodded. She arched a brow after he explained what he wanted, but she obeyed. Rey clamored onto her hands and knees, biting her lip as Poe kissed up the length of his spine. He spread her knees a bit, then tested her readiness. She moaned as his fingers teased her, gently sliding in and out.

Poe cursed softly; she was so wet, her arousal slid down his hand. It seemed she really liked pleasuring him. He tucked that information away for later. Instead, he moved up behind her, on his knees, and bent over her. "Still with me?"

She felt him, heavy and hard against her sex; she needed him inside her. "Please."

Poe lined himself up and leaned into her, a moan tearing from his throat. He moved slowly, rocking into her with shallow thrusts, a little deeper each time. Rey's heart pounded; he felt so good, the angle new and different and exciting. She couldn't resist rocking toward him, needing him as deep as he could go. "Oh _gods_," she panted.

Poe splayed his fingers on her hips, holding her steady as he thrust into her slick heat. "Good?"

"So good. Don't stop."

This was something else he'd imagined, one of several fantasies he'd had involving her over the last year. He'd never said a word, believing they would only ever be friends. Now they were together, body and heart and soul. He felt her there with him, riding the same ecstatic wave; he'd never felt closer to another person as he did _her._

Rey dropped her head to the mattress, her body floating in a sea of sensation. It was just enough to keep her on edge, not quite tipping her into orgasm. She clawed at the sheet, torn between reveling in this feeling and craving the high only Poe could give her.

Poe bent over her back, pressing kisses to her shoulder. "My beautiful Rey," he whispered. "Love you so much."

She found his hand, clutching it in hers. "Love you," she whimpered. "Gods, more, Poe. _More."_

He did as she bid, taking her harder and faster, their skin smacking together. She cried out as her orgasm crashed over her at last, her walls clenching around him. Poe seized her waist and lifted her into his lap, still grinding into her, drawing out her high. She felt him follow her, his harsh curse in her ear. He held her tight to his chest until they both stopped trembling, finally sated.

They collapsed on the bed, sweaty and tired, but happy. Rey smiled as Poe gathered her in his arms; she could feel his heart thumping against her back. She squeezed his hand. "Still want to sleep?" she teased.

He chuckled. "I think I need a nap now," he joked. "You're gonna wear me out, Jedi."

She rolled over, kissing his sweaty brow. "You are an old man."

"Hey!"

"But you're mine." She smiled, brushing her fingers through his curls. Everything was changing around them, but this was constant. His love for her shined in his brown eyes; she wondered why she hadn't seen it before.

"And you're mine," he murmured, kissing her knuckles.

"Be right back." Reluctantly, she let him go, so she could run for the fresher. She got cleaned up as quickly as she could; it was hard, she was still a little shaky. Poe was waiting for her, covering them with the blanket when she crawled into the bed.

"People will definitely be looking for us now," he observed quietly. He didn't want to leave this cocoon, even though he knew they must.

"I know." Not even BB-8 could keep the rest of the world out forever. "I owe the General a debrief."

Poe chuckled. "I think your tardiness will be forgiven."

"Oh yeah?"

He kissed her lips. "Definitely."

They were quiet for a while, almost as if to will the outside world away. Finally, Rey spoke. "What were you doing on the Falcon while I was gone?"

"Fixing the hyperdrive. I know you were upset to leave it in such a mess, so me and Beebee-Ate made it our project. I wanted to surprise you."

Rey raised herself up so she could see his face. "You and Beebee fixed the hyperdrive? All by yourself?"

He looked mildly indignant. "I'm not a bad mechanic, you know."

"I never said that. I just…Poe, it was a _mess_."

"Okay, so I did have a little help. Or rather, Beebee took it upon himself to find some help. I kept, uh, falling asleep." He flushed. "I might have been trying to distract myself from missing you, Sunshine."

Rey hugged him. "I missed you too."

"Anyway, a couple of days ago, while I was in command, Rose and some of the other mechanics worked on it. She left some things for me; that's what I was working on when you got back. I didn't quite get finished."

He sounded so sad about not finishing! Rey squeezed his hand. "Maybe we can finish together? Or not," she continued when she saw his face.

"Rey, I would love that. Though it's not typical to work on something that's a gift."

"Have you ever known me to be typical?"

He laughed. "No, Sunshine, I have not. And I like it that way."

She beamed. "Good."

They really did need to start their day, so Poe took the first round in the fresher. They didn't think it prudent to share for obvious reasons. His clothes needed a wash, so he had to borrow some that he found in one of the storage units. They were made for someone slightly taller than he, but it would do until he could get back to his quarters. Rey promised to meet him for her debrief in an hour or so; Poe thought it prudent to check on things with Connix until then.

As he headed that way, he spotted Rose. She'd clearly seen him coming down off the Falcon, because she gave him a thumbs up. Poe waved back, ignoring the way his cheeks heated. He wasn't ashamed of being with Rey, but he didn't want it broadcast to the whole camp.

He was surprised to see Karé in the command center when he arrived. "What are you doing here?" he asked, not unkindly. "Do you need something?"

"I was wondering if there was a mission."

"A mission? Karé, are you sure that's a good idea?" He still mourned his friend; Poe could only imagine how it was for Karé. She'd lost her husband. If Poe lost Rey, missions would be the _last_ thing on his mind.

Karé nodded. "I know how it must look, but Poe…I think I need to get out of here. For a little while. And I want to help. I'm still fit for duty."

"I don't know…"

"Please," she said quietly. "Even a simple escort mission. Something. Everywhere I turn, I see him, Poe. And it's…Force, it's so hard. I just need a little time."

Poe couldn't deny her. He could see how much pain she was still in and he trusted her judgment. "Okay. How about I assign you to the protection squadron on Yavin? They've been flying missions to help out Hera on Lothal."

Karé knew full well that Poe's father was on Yavin, but she didn't protest. It was touching that he wanted to look out for her. "Sounds good." She paused. "I, uh, saw that your Jedi was back."

Poe nodded. "Finally."

She looked at him thoughtfully. "You know, there was a time when I wondered if you would ever settle down."

"I wouldn't say I'm settled down yet. But I'm getting there." With Rey's responsibilities as a Jedi, he knew that a completely quiet life on Yavin was impossible, but as long as they did things on their terms, he could handle anything.

"Still, it's good to see. I'm really happy for you."

Poe hugged her. "Thanks, Karé." He waited until his friend left before turning to Connix. "What have we got today?"

* * *

"Hello, friend!" Dio chirped the moment Rey stepped into the quarters she shared with Poe.

She smiled, watching in amusement as the little droid rolled back and forth excitedly. "Hello, Dio. Is everything alright?"

Before D-O could answer her, BB-8 came rolling up. He beeped at D-O, which caused the smaller droid to back up in fright. "Beebee-Ate, calm down. Dio's fine," Rey chided. She laid her traveling gear aside and knelt down. D-O rolled toward her; she gently caressed his cone. "This has been quite a change for you, hasn't it, little one?"

BB-8 beeped indignantly. It seemed that D-O hadn't quite warmed up to Poe as much as she'd hoped. "Have you been in here the whole time I was gone?"

"Too many people," D-O said, not quite facing her.

"Hey, it's alright. But Poe's just one person. You can trust him."

"How…how…do you…know?" the little droid asked.

Rey tilted her head, stumped. How could she explain in a way that it would understand? BB-8 was very loyal to its master, mostly because Poe treated it like a being with thoughts and feelings. He respected his faithful friend, every bit as much as he did Finn or Rey. It was one of the things that always endeared Poe to her, even before they met. When she first found BB-8 on Jakku, it wouldn't shut up about its master, the great Resistance pilot. Later, when she did meet him, she realized that BB-8's faith was well placed.

She moved to sit cross legged in front of the droid. "Beebee-Ate," she said, patting the spot next to her. "Why don't you help me tell Dio about Poe?"

BB-8 couldn't have been more excited. He rolled up and immediately launched into the tale of Poe's mission to Jakku, how Rey found him, and all their adventures until BB-8 was reunited with its master. Rey was sad she'd missed that. Rey interjected where she could, inserting some of her own observations about the man she loved so much.

"But you…argue…all the time," D-O said, bewildered.

"Only because we care about each other," she replied.

"But you do not argue with the one called Finn."

Rey sighed. "That's…different."

"How?"

Why was this so hard? She struggled to find the right words, but nothing came. She glanced at the chrono on the wall. "How about we go find Poe? I promised him I'd do my debrief of the mission."

BB-8 was all for this plan; D-O took a little coaxing. Both droids followed her obediently, moving through the halls of the ship until she got to the command suite. Poe's smile when he saw her warmed her all the way to her toes. BB-8 wasn't shy, rolling right up to its master for a smile and a scratch along his dome. "Come by for your debrief?"

Rey nodded. "If you've got the time?"

"I've always got time for you, Sunshine." Her brow quirked at the use of his nickname for her in front of the command staff, but Poe didn't care. Rey didn't have a formal rank in the Resistance anyway. They should have been used to her coming and going by now. He led the way to his office; he was a bit surprised when both BB-8 and D-O followed them. "Well, this is a surprise."

"I thought it would be a good idea for us to spend some time together," she said, nodding toward her smallest companion. Poe's joke about them gathering a family of droids wasn't far off the mark; she felt responsible for R2-D2 and C-3PO as well.

Poe knelt down to D-O's level. The droid eased back a few inches, then bravely scooted forward. "Hello, Dio."

"F-f-friend?"

"Yeah. I'd like that. Would you like that? I know this is a lot to take in, but we'll look out for you, me and Rey."

D-O rolled forward a few more inches toward Poe's outstretched hand. Poe patted him on the cone, shooting a grin at his girlfriend. He'd tried everything he could think of to get the skittish droid to warm up to him, to no avail. He didn't know what Rey had said to the tiny droid, but he was grateful. It was clear that she was fond of the droid, which made it important to Poe, especially since they were living together now.

Rey smiled down at them. "So, I brought some tools; I thought we'd give Dio and Beebee-Ate full diagnostics while I went over the mission?"

While tinkering with droids wasn't his first choice when spending time with Rey, he would take it. Already, he was getting flooded with more requests for her Jedi skills. Her legend was spreading like wildfire. He was so proud of her. "Sounds good. Maybe we can holo Finn later and check in?"

"Perfect."

They worked for a couple of hours, cleaning and tinkering with their droids. D-O's squeaky wheel was the most cosmetic of his issues; Rey had to clean out a lot of dirt and grime from his main circuit panels. She couldn't think about everything the little droid had seen. Had he been there when her parents were murdered? Was he a witness to their last moments, where they bravely tried to protect her? Her memories of them were fuzzy; she felt them more than remembered them. Her mother's kind smile stayed with her. It kept her warm on cold nights on Jakku; when she dreamed, they came back for her.

Poe felt her mood shift, to one more introspective and melancholy. Gently, he reached over and squeezed her fingers. "Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah. Just thinking."

"Wanna talk about it?"

She shrugged. "It's not that important."

"You're important to me, Rey. But it's okay."

She leaned over and brushed a kiss to his scruffy cheek. "Thanks." She appreciated that he gave her space to work things out. She never once doubted his willingness to listen, but he never pushed. "Maybe we should holo Finn?"

"Good idea." He turned back to BB-8, whose dome and optical socket looked much better. "Buddy, how about you take Dio for an oil bath? We'll find you later."

BB-8 chirped happily, turning to the smaller droid. D-O called out his thanks as they left; he seemed much calmer than before. "You were really good with it," Rey observed. "I think Dio likes you now."

"We'll see if it lasts." Poe grabbed the mount for his holo and turned it around, so he could widen the angle of the video. He and Rey settled side by side in the chairs on the opposite side of his desk, waiting for Finn to answer. Poe smiled as he felt Rey slip her hand into his and squeeze. "Miss me?'

She rolled her eyes. "Can't you just accept a simple gesture?" she teased.

"I can, but it's more fun to tease you about it." He brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers. "Much better."

"Is this a bad time?"

Rey flushed, but Poe just grinned as Finn came into view. "Hey buddy! We just wanted to check in, see how things are on Naboo."

Finn arched a brow at the pair of them, but he kept his comments to himself. "Hey Rey. Is that one behaving?"

Rey stole a glance at Poe, who looked completely unapologetic. Then she remembered the night before on the Falcon and she blushed harder. No, it was probably a safe bet that neither of them was "behaving." "We're both fine," she assured her friend. "Ignore him."

Finn chuckled. "I'm glad you're back."

"Me too." At Finn's insistence, she recounted the tale of her time on Rodia again, though not in quite as much detail as she had to Poe earlier. Finn was fascinated, asking questions about how she used the Force.

"Did you find any, uh, Force sensitive Rodians?"

Rey blinked. "I didn't but I didn't meet that many. Just the ones I was negotiating with."

Poe sat up straighter. "Finn, do you think you've got some on Naboo?" This could be important, especially since Rey wanted to restore the Order. The first step toward doing that were potential students.

Finn shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe? Not sure I know enough about it to tell. But I definitely have a weird feeling about a couple of the people here."

Rey thought about that. "Could be worth checking out."

Poe didn't like the idea of Rey leaving right away; he'd just gotten her back. Then he had an idea. "Hey, I had a holo from that Beph guy a couple of days ago. Apparently, that idiotic council is skeptical of the stormtroopers." Poe saw Finn about to get indignant. "I know, buddy. I really do. And I agree with you."

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"You said the other day that the volunteers you took to Naboo were doing well, right?" Finn nodded. "So how about this? Rey and I meet you on Naboo. She can check out these Force sensitive people and I can talk to the Queen and sign off on the stormtroopers."

Finn grunted. "Do you think they'd accept your judgement over mine?"

Poe clenched his fist. He hated that so many people were willing to hold the stormtrooper thing over anyone's head, let alone Finn. Granted, before Poe met Finn, he was apt to shoot first and ask questions later. The fact that all the troopers were kidnapped and brainwashed as children was a well kept secret until recently. Yet Finn was living proof that the brainwashing wasn't infallible. There were people in those helmets, people whose free will had been stolen. "Frankly, I think they're skeptical of all of us, but I'm willing to back your play. I believe in what you're trying to do, Finn. It's a good thing."

"If we bring them some evidence, they have to give your idea a chance," Rey said. "Remember what they said about me trying to restart the Order?"

Finn nodded. "At least we'll enjoy proving them wrong."

Poe grinned. "Damn right we will. We got this."

"Do you think the Queen would object to a visit?"

Finn shook his head. "Nah. Everyone here is very hospitable. Hard to believe Palpatine came from this place." He realized a beat too late what he'd actually said. "Oh Force, Rey, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Poe's eyes widened; he'd completely forgotten too. "Rey, I…"

She waved her hand. "It's okay. _Really."_ She'd been too intrigued by Poe's idea to really put the pieces together before, but would it be so bad seeing the place her family hailed from? For so long, she wondered the how, when, whys of her life. Perhaps going to Naboo would bring her some clarity. Besides, she had a job to do. If she was committed to the idea of restoring the Jedi Order, then she needed help the others like her. "I think we should do it. Go to Naboo."

Poe caught her eyes, holding them. "Sunshine, are you _sure_?"

She nodded. "Yes. I want to do this, Poe."

He didn't look away from her, utterly in awe of her. His brave Jedi. "Finn, think you can make the arrangements with the Queen?"

"Already on it. See you guys soon."

The holo flickered off, but neither paid much attention. "So, we're really doing this?"

Rey nodded. "Seems that way."

Poe's heart sunk. "The Falcon's not ready. I mean, it almost is, but I wanted to finish it myself." If he was going to leave Ajan Kloss, then certain arrangements needed to be made.

"I can do it."

"No, it's supposed to be a gift…"

Rey cupped his cheek. "And I love that you put in so much work. But some things are more important. Let me and Rose finish the Falcon. Go do whatever you need to do. The sooner we get those things finished the sooner we can leave. I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to going on an adventure with you."

He turned his head and kissed her palm. "When did you get so wise, Jedi?"

"About the time I fell in love with a certain cocky flyboy," she teased with a grin.

If they were going to leave the base, then they needed to get a move on. Poe returned to the command center to talk to the staff and inform the Council of his plans. The whole point of this was to demonstrate that the former stormtroopers could be trusted; it was in their best interest to maintain the good will of the Council. The sooner the galaxy was at peace, the sooner he and Rey could truly move forward with their life together.

Rey headed in the direction of Falcon; she sent BB-8 off in search of Rose. However, as she approached the old freighter, a familiar tall form came into view. "Chewie!"

The Wookie roared a greeting as Rey hugged him. "It's good to see you too, old friend. How are you?" He'd been gone for a couple of weeks, with Lando, if she recalled correctly. He needed some time to mourn everything he'd lost; Rey didn't blame him. Without Poe and Finn, she would probably be in worse shape.

She could sense his grief, but he certainly seemed better. It seemed he and Lando had taken a pilgrimage of sorts, a bit like Rey had herself to Tattoine. Rey squeezed his fingers. "I'm glad you're back. We missed you." Chewie was her last tie to Han and Leia. She still wore the blaster Han had given her, the day he asked her to join his crew. Even then, he was offering her a home. She owed it to Han to look after Chewie.

Chewie snorted as Rey explained how they were rebuilding the hyperdrive. "What? Poe's a good mechanic, I'm sure it's fine. Come on, let's go see." Chewie followed her into the ship; she headed for the open access panel. Chewie helped lower her into it; she heard something rolling away, D-O probably. Clearly, a seven foot tall Wookie was frightening, if one wasn't wary.

Rey scanned all the hoses, fuses and connections. "See? Everything's fine. I think we just need to tighten a couple of things in here, then head up to the cockpit and reroute everything through the compressor." She examined the part that had caused so much trouble; it looked brand new. Poe must have pulled some strings to get a new one. The Falcon was old; parts were increasingly hard to come by.

Chewie bent over her shoulder, examining the panels. He banged a bit on the couplings and hoses, but even Chewie couldn't find anything wrong. Rey snatched up a nearby hydrospanner and tightened up a few things. She noticed the new wiring; it was done in a pattern she was unfamiliar with. It appeared sound enough. They wouldn't really know until they fired up the engines.

"Alright, let me check the cockpit, then we should be good," Rey said, hopping up from the tunnel. Chewie grumbled some more, but Rey simply smiled. Despite Chewie's skepticism Poe (and Rose) had done a really good job.

Rose appeared as Rey headed in the direction of the cockpit. Briefly, she explained everything she'd done so far; Rose was more than willing to help her finish. The cockpit was in a slightly worse state, so it took her longer than she expected to get all the connections back in the right place, even with Rose's help. Once she was satisfied, she called down to Chewie. "Everything's good up here! We ready to test it out?" Chewie yelled in the affirmative; Rey hopped into the pilot's seat. Chewie appeared a moment later, sliding into the co-pilot's seat. Rey was already flipping switches, starting the Falcon's ignition sequence. There was a brief spluttering sound, then the old ship roared to life. "Yes!" Rey yelled, delighted. She grabbed the yoke, lifting them off the ground a few feet, the ship's exhaust blowing into the trees behind them.

Chewie roared his approval as well, raising his massive arms in the air. "It'll take more than that to stop this old girl," Rey agreed. She couldn't believe that she'd once thought of the Falcon as a pile of junk. She adored this ship, almost as much as the man who waited for them down on the ground.

Poe smiled expectantly as he waited for Rey to land. He watched as she set the massive freighter back on the ground like it was a glider. She really was a talented pilot. She'd told him once that she learned via a cobbled together flight simulator back on Jakku, which was incredible. He supposed the Force probably helped, but it didn't diminish her skills. Perhaps a friendly wager was in order? Once they were done saving the galaxy, of course.

Rey hurried down the gangway as soon as they landed. "She's running again!" she cried happily, running into Poe's arms.

He chuckled as he held her tight. "I can see that. Looking good in the pilot seat, Sunshine."

"Thanks for working so hard. I appreciate it." She kissed his cheek. "Maybe I'll even let you fly," she whispered in his ear before pulling away.

Poe bit his lip, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down his spine. As much as he would love to have a go in the pilot seat, he knew that wasn't what she meant. She was devious for someone so sweet! "Any time."

They were interrupted by Chewie approaching. Rey flushed at her friend's surprised question. "Um, yeah, Chewie. Poe and I are, uh…"

"We're together," Poe finished simply.

Chewie looked down on Poe from his lofty height, his hands on his hips. Poe stared right back, holding tight to Rey's hand. He knew Chewie was very protective of Rey, but he wasn't going to be intimidated. He would fight tooth and nail for her, even against the infamous Chewbacca. He must have done something right because a moment later Chewie wrapped Poe into a huge hug, roaring his approval. "Thanks, buddy," Poe said, his voice slightly choked. He'd forgotten how strong Wookies could be. "We're really happy."

Chewie nodded, his furry hands brushing Poe and Rey lightly on the shoulder. Rey felt a wave of wistfulness wash over their friend, no doubt he was thinking about Han and Leia. Rey offered him a reassuring smile, waving as he walked away.

"That went pretty well, I think," Poe said, slipping his arm around Rey's waist.

"He inspected the Falcon pretty thoroughly," Rey said, leaning into him. "Just in case."

Poe tried to grumble, but mostly he was just tired. Pleased, but tired. "I'll bet."

"Any word from Finn?"

Poe nodded. "Actually, yeah. He said the Queen was very enthusiastic. We can go whenever we want."

"And things on this end?"

"I got a message to Beph. I think I can talk him around. Everything seems under control at the moment. I think Connix can handle things here." He recently made good on his promise to promote her; she was Commander Connix these days.

"So soon then?"

"Yeah, maybe as early as tomorrow." He caught her eye. "And you're sure about this, Sunshine?"

"I am. I'd like to know more about where I come from. Luke and Leia's mother was from Naboo as well."

Poe's brow shot up in surprise. "I didn't know that."

"Not many do. Leia told me, months ago. I think…I think she was preparing me."

"I think she was trying to prepare all of us. Still miss her though." He had no idea if he was doing justice to her legacy. He wanted to. Leia may have had a son, but the Resistance was her true legacy, fighting for peace and freedom in the galaxy. Until they accomplished that, he would keep on fighting. Only now, he had a partner at side.

"Me too."

* * *

"We should be arriving at Naboo at 1400," Poe said from the seat behind Chewie. He was trying not to be annoyed, but he wasn't sure he was succeeding. In the past, sitting back there wouldn't bother him (and he preferred that seat to the other, as it gave him a clear view of Rey), but he'd foolishly assumed he'd be her copilot this time. Which he had no shot of doing as long as Chewie was there. He wasn't jealous exactly. He'd just imagined this trip slightly differently.

Still, he understood why Rey suggested Chewie tag along. He was their friend and clearly still grieving. If he needed a distraction, then this mission was perfect for that. His Sunshine was compassionate and kind; he loved that about her.

Rey glanced at him over her shoulder, her brow creased. "Okay. There's nothing on the scanners, so we should be good until we get there." With a nod to Chewie, she rose, moving past Poe. At the last second, she caught his hand, urging him to follow her. She led them into the common area, then she turned to face him. "Poe, is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"

"You seem…annoyed."

He sighed. "It's nothing. Silly. Don't worry about it."

"Your feelings aren't silly."

"I just…" He raked his fingers through his hair. "I guess I was looking forward to some alone time with my girlfriend. But it's fine."

Rey smiled softly. She really did like it when he called her that. "I know. I just couldn't leave him there. He's still grieving."

Poe pulled her into a hug. "I know. And it's okay, really. Maybe I just wanted to be your copilot."

She giggled. "You always are, flyboy." She leaned in, brushing his lips with hers. "Maybe we can go flying together on Naboo?"

"They do have some pretty slick fighters," Poe observed. "I've always wanted to fly one."

"Not happy in your X-wing, General?"

"You know me. Always up for an adventure. And I can fly a_nything._"

"We might have to put that to the test."

"Let's hope it's a friendly wager kind of way and not the running for our lives kind." He'd done enough of that for one lifetime. He was eager for the next chapter of his life to begin. "And haven't I proven that already, Sunshine?"

She grinned. "Sitting around command all day? You might be losing your touch."

Poe growled at her, slowly backing her into the wall. A shiver ran down her spine; she did love teasing him. "Be careful, Jedi," he warned quietly.

"Why?" He didn't tower over her by any means, but she shivered all the same. There was something playfully dangerous in his tone. She respected Poe's skills, both as a pilot and a soldier. It wasn't a side of him that she'd seen much of, but she liked it.

He leaned in, his lips brushing her neck. She smelled heavenly. "Because you might say something you regret."

Her eyes fluttered shut as his lips continued to caress her throat. "Afraid…of a challenge?"

"Never." He captured her lips in a searing kiss, his larger frame keeping her trapped between him and the wall. She kissed him back with equal relish, sliding her hands under his jacket. Poe groaned, wondering how the simplest conversation with her could turn on its head so quickly. She was like the air he needed to breathe; her light showed him the way forward.

"Was this more like you imagined?" she asked between kisses.

Poe chuckled. "Something like this, yeah."

"Too bad the chess table's so far away."

Poe groaned. "Don't remind me. Thank the Maker Chewie doesn't suspect."

"How do you know he doesn't?"

"Because all my limbs are in the right place."

Rey laughed; Poe found himself grinning. He loved her laugh. "Let's keep it that way, huh?"

"Definitely. I like being able to do _this._" He scooped her up, ignoring her whines of protest. He didn't put her down until they reached the nook where the chess table sat.

"Poe…"

"I know, I know. But I enjoy it," he apologized, kissing her forehead.

Rey pretended to be annoyed, but the look on Poe's face told her she failed. Was there really anything wrong with allowing Poe to take care of her sometimes? She'd been alone for so long; having people care had taken some getting used to. Her relationship with Poe was a learning experience, every day. They'd been good friends before, but this was on another level. With him, she was safe. Safe to be vulnerable in new and frightening ways. Poe was kind and good, passionate and willful. She loved learning everything about him.

"You're a walking contradiction, Poe Dameron."

"Takes one to know," he countered. "We're a lot alike, you and I."

"Just enough to keep things interesting."

Poe grinned. "I'm counting on it, sweetheart."

True to the Falcon's chrono, they arrived at Naboo just before 0200. The shining blue orb hung in the heavens, looking utterly tranquil. A pair of Naboo fighters were there to greet them and offered an escort down to the capital of Theed.

"The Queen's pulled out all the stops," Poe observed.

"I wonder why?"

"Naboo wants to be in the running for home of the Senate," Poe explained. "They want to include worlds outside the Core, trying to make it more representative."

"Do you think that will work?"

Poe shrugged. "I'm not a politician, Rey. They tried something similar in the New Republic, but that didn't stop the First Order from destroying Hosnian Prime." For Poe, that was crux of the issue. As long as the ability to create planet killing weapons existed, the whole of the galaxy was in danger. True, they'd destroyed the Final Order fleet. And Starkiller Base. But the potential remained. They needed to make sure all the First Order's plans were destroyed and root out as many of the stragglers as they could. It was the best way to make the future safe.

Rey turned back to the controls, unsure of what to say. She knew they had a big job in front of them, but was it _too_ big? Could they make the galaxy truly safe? She wanted—no, needed—to believe it was possible. Otherwise all the death and sacrifice would have been for nothing. She refused to let that happen.

As they flew toward the capital, Rey took in the beauty before her. Naboo was another temperate planet, green and lush, with sweeping plains, humid swamps and crystal blue water. The oceans were the home of the Gungans, the species that shared Naboo with humans. She spotted a few along the shore as they approached Theed; they stared at the old freighter in awe. The capital was built of stone and glass; the Queen's palace loomed over everything else. The fighters escorted them to the landing pad before sliding into their hangar.

"Nice landing," Poe observed, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

Rey blushed, but before she could reply, he was gone. She and Chewie hurried through the shutdown procedures; Rey still needed to grab her cloak. Already, she could see a welcome party approaching the ship; Finn was with them.

"I'll just be a minute," Rey promised, scurrying from the cockpit. She dashed through the halls; all her things were in the captain's quarters. The door opened as she approached; Poe stepped through. "Poe!" Rey blinked, her eyes moving over him in surprise. Not because he'd scared her, but his clothes. Or, rather, his _uniform._ He'd traded his usual working attire for something much more formal. The fabric was a light tan, as were the trousers; a white shirt with the collar peeked out of a matching jacket with the Resistance patch on the shoulder.

Poe fidgeted, surprised how nervous he was. The uniform was old, very similar in style to one that he wore during his days in the New Republic Navy. He scoured the Tantive IV for something to wear to meet the Queen of Naboo; his old uniform was long since lost. He'd sewn on the patch himself; there was no other indication of his rank. Leia never needed one, so neither did he.

"What do you think?"

Rey reached out, running her fingers over the fabric. "I didn't know the Resistance had a uniform." The Resistance was a cobbled together operation; everyone mostly came as they were.

"Strictly speaking, we don't. This is a knock off of the New Republic uniforms. Literally, I think," he said, tugging on the sleeves.

"Did you wear something like this before?"

There was something in her eyes he couldn't read. "Only on formal occasions. Which there weren't that many. I much preferred my flight suit."

Rey smiled. "I'll bet."

"You still haven't answered my question, Sunshine."

She traced the lapel. "I like it. A lot."

His whole face lit up in a smile. "Good to know." He stepped aside so she could transform herself into the Jedi Master. She emerged from the captain's quarters a few minutes later, looking exactly as she had when she left for Rodia. "There's my Jedi."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You don't want to keep the Queen waiting, do you?"

"I can think of worse things." He cupped her cheek, drawing her lips to his. She sighed softly as she kissed him back. For those few moments, they were in their own world. "Ready, Jedi?"

"Ready, General."

Chewie was waiting for them at the top of the gangway. Poe and Rey walked down together, with Chewie right behind. Poe smiled as soon as he spotted Finn; his friend looked well. Just behind Finn stood a short figure dressed in the most elaborate gown Poe had ever seen, the gold and crimson fabric draped artfully. The headdress seemed to dwarf its wearer; her face was covered in heavy makeup. It was impossible to tell what color her hair was, but her eyes were a steady shade of green.

Poe bowed. "Your Highness."

Finn stepped forward. His clothes had been cleaned and pressed; he still looked like himself though. "Your Highness, this is General Poe Dameron of the Resistance."

The Queen inclined her head slightly. "Your reputation precedes you, General Dameron," she said formally. "We look forward to helping your cause in any way we can."

"Thank you, Your Highness." He was surprised by how young she sounded, but it wasn't important right now. He turned to Rey. "May I present Rey Skywalker?"

Rey stepped forward and offered her own bow. Before she could say anything, the Queen spoke. "That name has history here," she said. "As does the Jedi Order."

Rey blinked, unsure how to respond. There was no way the Queen could know about Rey's true lineage. If she did, she might not be so welcoming. If she _was_ welcoming; it was hard to tell. "I am the last of the Jedi," Rey said at last. "But I would see them return."

The Queen nodded. "As would I, Master Jedi."

Poe and Rey exchanged a look as the Queen and her handmaidens turned. She was young, younger than Rey. How could someone so young be Queen of an entire planet?

Finn slowed to walk with them. "It is good to see you," he said quietly.

"We missed you too, buddy," Poe murmured. He nodded toward the gaggle in front of them. "What's her deal?"

Finn shrugged. "I was surprised too. She's sixteen, I think? Came to the throne younger though. The chief minister explained that it was how things were done here. They elect a new Queen when the last one chooses to step down."

Poe thought he recalled something about that from his studies at the Academy. He'd taken a course on various sorts of governments throughout the galaxy; he never thought it was information he would need to know. He was more focused on flying and making things blow up. "Her throne is stable, right?"

Finn nodded. "Oh yeah. The First Order barely got a foothold here. She negotiated with them, making them think she was their puppet. They'd only been here about six months before Exegol. They only left one Star Destroyer to look after the entire system."

"Well, no one said the First Order was bright," Poe muttered.

"It was easy enough to round up the survivors after the Destroyer crashed. They're still here actually."

"Have you seen them?"

Finn nodded. "They're being treated well, but the Naboo don't know what to do with them."

"The Rodians didn't either," Rey said thoughtfully. "We're transferring them back to Ajan Kloss."

"What about their…programming?" Poe asked.

Finn sighed. "So far? Just one or two," he said sadly. "I got the feeling they'd been through reconditioning two or three times. The more you go through it, the less of yourself remains." That was why he'd run. Finn never wanted to experience that emptiness again.

Rey caught his hand and squeezed. "That sounds awful."

"It is. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But it's hard to overcome. It takes…"

"A strong will and a strong mind," Rey finished for him. "I've got a theory about that."

"What is it?"

"I'm wondering if your Force sensitivity helped you break free."

Finn frowned. "I hadn't thought about it, but perhaps you're right."

"I think we should start testing your sensitivity," Rey said softly. They didn't have time for her to be afraid; she had people—including Finn—that needed her now. "If you're up to it?"

"I'm as curious as you are, so yeah. I'm in."

The Queen insisted on serving refreshments before beginning the first formal meeting. Poe fidgeted some more in his borrowed uniform; it was pretty run down compared to the uniforms of the Naboo guards. He remembered how much he hated functions like this; he was much more of hands on kind of guy. He spent most of his time with Finn, who seemed much more relaxed than he was.

"I think we got things backwards," Poe joked. "You're the diplomatic one, buddy."

Finn chuckled. "I'm not the one who was mentored by Leia."

"For all the good it did." He felt like an imposter most of the time. _General_ _Dameron. _Who the hell was that? This was so much bigger than him. Put him in the cockpit of an X-wing. He could make those decisions. But now? If he made the wrong choice, millions of lives could be affected. He'd already made mistakes that cost lives. The fate of the galaxy was at stake.

"Hey, Poe, don't talk like that," Finn admonished. "You're a good man. This whole thing would have fallen apart without you."

"Doesn't really feel like that."

"That's because you try to do too much yourself." Finn held him by the shoulders. "And I _know_ Rey would agree with me."

Poe huffed. "I know. But there is so much at stake." He glanced across the room at Rey, who was speaking quietly with the Queen. "We have to get this right, Finn. We _have _to."

"And we will. Starting right here. If we can make this work on Naboo, then we can make it work on other worlds."

"If they can stop squabbling long enough to listen to us." He sighed. "I miss Leia." Just through sheer force of will, she could command a room. He was still learning how to do that; he wasn't sure he would ever master it. Not the way she did. Maybe he needed to find his own way.

* * *

"I must admit to being rather taken aback when General Finn told us about his friend, the Jedi," the Queen said, her gaze flickering over Rey. She didn't seem intimidated or wary, merely curious. "After all, everyone believed the Jedi extinct."

"Luke Skywalker was a Jedi."

"Yes, and he locked himself away rather than combat the rising dark." Again, there was no animus, merely a statement of fact. Even with the Force, Rey was having trouble reading this young Queen. She was obviously dutiful to her people above all else, but beyond that, Rey could feel nothing. "I'm sorry, Master Skywalker was your mentor, correct?"

"Something like that."

"And you bear his name."

"By choice, not birth," Rey clarified. "I was just Rey…before." She liked having a family name; it made her feel like she belonged.

"It is also the name of his father."

Rey blinked. How did this girl know about Anakin? "It is."

"You understand what he was?"

Rey nodded. "I do." _If you knew about Palpatine, this would be an even less pleasant conversation._

"He was not always so. Or so Amidala's letters would have us believe." When she saw Rey's surprise, the Queen smiled. "Yes, I have access to her correspondence. Or, rather, what is left of it. The Emperor had much of it destroyed following her death."

"I thought their marriage was a secret."

"It was. Yet, she always had people around her. Her sister knew. Once you know the truth, it is easy to read between the lines."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want to trust you." The Queen glanced around the room, carefully checking on her councilors. All appeared to be busy, including one that was currently talking Poe and Finn's ear off. "Padme Amidala once trusted a pair of Jedi and she saved her kingdom. Every Queen since has lived in her shadow. We all want to _be_ her. She was the kind of Queen Naboo deserves. And yet, she was betrayed by someone she loved."

Rey's gaze instinctively went to Poe. How could it not? She loved him more than she'd ever loved anything. She was also certain he would never betray or hurt her. They would not suffer the same fate as Anakin and Padme.

"I thought as much," the Queen murmured, not unkindly. "I hope he is worthy of your affections."

"I hope I am worthy of his," Rey countered. "Poe is a good man. I trust him with my life."

"And your heart?"

Rey nodded. "More than anything."

The Queen actually smiled. "I look forward to working with you and your General Dameron, Master Skywalker."

She started to walk away, but Rey called her back. "I would like to pay my respects to Senator Amidala during my visit," she said.

"I will see that you do."

"Thank you."

A footman appeared, banging a staff. Everyone moved toward another room; this one dominated by a long conference table. It was smooth and shiny, reflecting light from the enormous windows. Rey caught a glimpse of the Queen's throne in a room just beyond this one; she could almost feel the history. Who were the Jedi that helped Padme Amidala save her throne? She had to admit to being curious. Perhaps there was something in the kingdom's archives? She made a mental note to ask later.

Poe, Rey and Finn sat immediately across from the Queen and her two primary councilors. Rey spotted Jannah for the first time, sitting a few seats down from Finn. They exchanged a look, one Rey couldn't decipher. A few of the other officers Finn had brought with him filled the other seats on their side of the table, but there were more Naboo than Resistance in the large room.

Poe decided that he needed to open the discussions. "Thank you, your Highness, for allowing us to assist you in the effort of ridding the galaxy of the First Order."

"Thank you for rendering such assistance so timely," the Queen countered. "It is much appreciated, especially in these troubled times."

"They will continue to be troubled until the last of the First Order is destroyed."

"What do you want from us?" one of the Queen's men asked. He was older than Poe by at least twenty years; his hair and short beard were gray. "What more could we give? We are not a militaristic culture, General Dameron."

"I am well aware of that. Yet, your defense force is the only substantial one in this sector of the galaxy at the moment."

"Emphasis on defense, General. We protect our own. Of late, General Finn has asked more of us."

All eyes turned to Finn. "We all need to work together, Curke," Finn said evenly. "And you'll notice I only asked for volunteers."

"They are young. They do not know what exactly is being asked of them. I remember the last war, General. It is a slippery slope you have us on."

"Ironic, considering one of Naboo's native sons has been trying to take over the galaxy for the last half century."

Rey breathed deeply, hoping no sign of recognition shown on her face. She got the impression that Finn and Curke had this discussion before; Curke was simply using their visit as a reason to air old grievances.

"Isolationism helps no one," Poe said, his face serious. The murmuring around them stopped. "Naboo could be a beacon of hope and justice in the galaxy. All we need is a chance."

"Like with your stormtroopers? Are we supposed to simply welcome them with open arms and hope they don't kill us all in our sleep?"

"That is enough, Councilor," the Queen snapped. "The Resistance troops have caused no disturbances since they arrived. Unless you are suggesting such things are going unreported?"

Curke shrank back a little. "No, no, of course not, Your Highness. Yet, many of your subjects are wary of this supposed reconditioning and its aftereffects."

"I was a stormtrooper," Finn said quietly. "I experienced the reconditioning first hand. Trust me when I say it is not something I would wish on my worst enemy."

Poe let that settle in the room for a long beat. "The Resistance has no desire to infringe on your sovereignty," he said clearly. "However, as long as pockets of First Order sympathizers remain, the galaxy will not know peace. We do not have the resources to accomplish this on our own. We need the cooperation of local systems and yes, even former stormtroopers, to accomplish our mission. Once the galaxy has some sort of functioning government, we intend to work with them to find a more permanent arrangement."

"And will you be leading this new…force?" another person asked. She was around Poe's age, auburn haired, skin deeply tanned. Like the Queen, she was dressed sumptuously, as befitted someone of her station.

Rey's skin prickled unpleasantly as the woman in question gazed appraisingly at Poe. He didn't seem to notice, however. "I intend to step down once my current mission is accomplished." He turned to Rey, a smile twitching ever so slightly at the corners of his lips. "My future lies on a different path."

Feeling his warm gaze settle over her soothed the roiling in her belly. She felt him squeeze her hand under the table, out of sight. Did he sense the tension in her? He must have. She squeezed back; she could feel the Queen's eyes on them.

"And what of you, Master Jedi?" the young Queen asked. "What is your role in the future?"

Rey turned back to the matter at hand. "As I said, I would see the Jedi return. I understand what it is like to feel power you don't understand bubbling up inside you. I want to help anyone who wishes to learn."

"The Jedi took potential padawans at a young age," the woman who questioned Poe said. "How is that different from the First Order kidnapping children and brainwashing them?"

Rey held the woman's gaze. Had she had a child taken? Or another family member? It was impossible to tell. "I won't defend the old ways," she said quietly, but firmly. "As with the rest of the galaxy, this is a chance to start over. Anyone who wishes to learn the ways of the Force will be welcome to. I would only accept children that had their guardians' permission, however. And I have no intention of separating families."

"I think we can all agree that the old ways have not served us well," Poe echoed. "This is a unique chance in our history. We must seize it with both hands, or all the suffering and death will have been for nothing. With your permission, Your Highness, I would like to inspect the operations here and refine your planet's relationship with the Resistance. With some luck, we can make this a template for other worlds to emulate."

The Queen nodded. "I agree, General. You have my permission. I hope your stay with us will be productive."

"Thank you."

That seemingly ended the first conference. Poe knew there would be others, but he'd worry about that later. In the short term, he'd accomplished his first goal. He really believed they had a chance to find a system that could work across the galaxy, a way to keep the peace and allow the politicians time to sort out the finer details.

A droid led Rey and Poe to their quarters after the conference. "You'll find your things have already been delivered," the droid intoned. Rey thought they'd have adjoining rooms or something, but there was only one door. "Please do not hesitate to ask, should you need anything."

"Thanks."

"One room, huh?" Poe said as he opened the door. "Did you ask…?"

Rey shook her head. "I didn't. I think this was the Queen's doing."

Poe smiled. "Oh yeah? I thought we were rather discreet."

Rey rolled her eyes. "She all but asked me," she confided.

"Is that what you two were talking about for so long?" Poe shrugged out of his jacket and sat on the edge of the bed. It was soft and fluffy, a big improvement from their quarters on the Tantive IV.

Rey tossed her cloak aside and unbuckled her belt, hanging it on a nearby peg. "Sort of." She toed off her boots and stretched out beside Poe, turning on her side to face him. "I think she was testing me."

"I'm sure you passed with flying colors."

He held his arms out for her and she scooted closer. "Maybe. We talked about Senator Amidala."

"I read about her in school. She was one of the architects of the Rebellion before her early death." He hadn't thought about the woman since then. Not until recently anyway. Finding out that she was Leia's mother was certainly eye opening. The galaxy was huge, bigger than any one person could explore, but it felt pretty small to him. Or perhaps it was the Force, drawing all of them together.

"She was betrayed by the person she loved most."

That was ominous. "Rey…"

She stroked his dark curls. "I know. I trust you. I've always trusted you."

"Even when you wanted to kick my ass?" he chuckled.

"Especially then." She studied his handsome face, the love in his brown eyes touching her soul. "I think I always knew you cared about me. Rey, not the Jedi. It meant a lot to me. It still does."

"You did a good job of hiding it," he teased. "I was just looking for any way to be around you, even if it meant fighting." When she giggled, he huffed. "I didn't say it was smart, it was just how I felt. How I still feel." He leaned in and kissed her gently. One kiss led to another and another; he missed having her close. "When all this is over, how would you feel about taking the Falcon and just…flying off?"

"Where?"

"Anywhere we wanted to go. There is so much of the galaxy that I'd love to show you, so much even I haven't seen."

"What about Yavin?"

"It's not going anywhere, Sunshine. If we decide that's where we want to finally settle down, then we will. But I want it to be _our _decision, not just something I dreamed up."

"Your dream is pretty nice," she said, running her fingers through his hair.

"We're in this together, Rey. It's not just about what I want. I'd follow you anywhere if you asked it of me."

"What about the Republic or whatever comes next?" Poe was Leia's handpicked successor. While Rey couldn't think of anyone better to lead them, he would be expected to take s_ome_ sort of role. Right?

"I meant what I said, Sunshine. My path is with you. I don't want to be a politician or lead an army. I want to spend the rest of my life with the people I love. Life's too short for anything else." Besides, helping Rey rebuild the Jedi Order was a worthy endeavor. As long as he could still fly, he would be happy anywhere.

She believed him. "I've always wanted a home, somewhere I belonged," she said softly.

"We'll build one, Rey. I promise. Anywhere you want."

She shook her head. "That's just it. I already have a home. It's right here. You're my home, Poe."

He didn't think he could love her more than he did in that moment. "And you're mine, Rey."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** Semi-consistent updates! Will wonders never cease? Anyway, this chapter is the result of lots of research on Wookieepedia; I'm pretty proud of how it turned out. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Still upset about the leaked script.

**Chapter 7**

Rey nodded at the small pile of rocks. "Try again, Finn."

Finn huffed and scrunched his nose. They'd been at it for most of the morning, working through a series of exercises that she'd cobbled together. She still wasn't sure what she was doing, but it was better than nothing. Luke had fought against training her on Ahch-To, but that had been nothing like this. It wasn't a question of her strength in the Force, it was what she chose to do with it that concerned him. It was clear that Finn was more sensitive than the average person; like Leia, his strengths—so far—seemed to lie in emotions and precognition.

"Can't we just jump straight to the lightsaber?" he grumbled, reaching out his hand.

"There's more to being a Jedi than swinging a lightsaber," she chided. "Besides, we already know you can do that, Finn."

"Not like you can." Finn let out a breath and tried again. He steadied his breathing and focused on the rocks. He could still see Rey in his mind's eye, standing outside the cave on Crait. She rescued them like some guardian angel, but he was just glad to have his friend back. He fought to empty his mind, as Rey suggested. He willed the rocks to rise, turning his palm the way Rey taught him. He could feel a faint buzzing along his skin, like a surge of power just out of reach. His brow creased as he concentrated; he felt the air shift around them. One rock twitched, then another, and another; slowly, a handful started to rise. Finn was so startled that he jumped back; the rocks crashed down to the ground.

"You did it!" Rey cried, thrilled.

"I did?" Finn asked. "I mean, yeah, I did!" He beamed, rushing over to hug Rey.

"Finn, that's fantastic."

"It is pretty great." He was starting to wonder if he'd dreamed up being Force sensitive; it was easy to get discouraged when Rey was your teacher. Not because of anything she did, but because she made using the Force seem so effortless. It wasn't, at least not for him.

"Wanna try again?"

"Probably should. Mighta been a fluke."

As it turned out, it wasn't a fluke. Progress wasn't exactly what one would call _rapid_, but it was there. After another hour, Finn could move the pile from where Rey stood to where he stood, all using the Force. "That's really great, Finn," Rey said when he finished.

"Do I have the makings of a Jedi?"

"As much as I do. I'm still working out what kind of Jedi I want to be."

"How so?"

Rey moved to sit cross legged on ground. Finn copied her, curious. Rey considered her words. "The Jedi…they had all these rules. They took children very young and started their training. They were against relationships and familial ties because they thought they led to the Dark Side."

Finn blinked. "That's…harsh."

She nodded. "When I first met Luke, all he could talk about were the Jedi's failures, how it was time for them to end. But that doesn't feel right either." While Luke admitted that he'd been wrong, she could understand where the impulse came from. She doubted herself too.

"Maybe it's like you said, time for a change?"

"I hope so. Because giving up my family is not an option." This was a chance for a fresh start, to rebuild from the ashes of the old. Luke had tried, but he felt bound by the edicts of the past. Rey didn't. Her own master, Leia, had shown her that there was more than one way to be a servant of the Force. She didn't intend on wasting that opportunity.

"Have you talked to Poe about this?" Finn knew his friend well enough to know that he wouldn't give up on Rey without a fight.

"A little."

"I can't imagine he's okay with the whole 'no relationships' thing."

"_I'm_ not okay with it," Rey said emphatically. "But yeah, he wasn't thrilled."

"So, it's not a rule you're gonna be following?"

She sensed there was more to his question than he was saying. "Definitely not. Honestly, I barely gave it a thought. Having him-having both of you—in my life is non-negotiable, Finn."

"Well, that's a relief."

She tilted her head. "Is there something you're not telling me?" She knew Finn pretty well; he usually wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was one of the things she liked best about him. Poe was very similar. Neither was good about hiding what they were feeling. Or perhaps it was more obvious to her because she knew them so well.

Finn glanced away. Despite his earlier conversation with Poe, he still hadn't worked up the courage to talk to Jannah. He rationalized it by telling himself that they were busy, but that wasn't the reason. Part of him was terrified; the other part still didn't know how _he _felt. He definitely felt a connection with her. She was the first person he'd met that had gone through what he did. He loved Rey and Poe dearly, but the experience of being a stormtrooper wasn't one they shared. They accepted him for who he was _now_. They hadn't seen what he'd seen. Jannah had.

Then there was Rose. They hadn't gotten off to the best of starts, but he cared about her too. They'd been through a lot together. Plus, she was friends with Rey; for Finn, that was important. All around, his feelings were muddled and conflicted. He didn't want to hurt anyone.

Rey felt the conflict coming off him in waves. She was about to question him further when he spoke. "Can I ask you something?"

"Uh, sure."

Finn hoped he wasn't prying too deeply. "When did you know? About Poe?"

Rey blinked. She hadn't been expecting _that._ She paused, considering his question. She tried to think about to their trip to Yavin, the place where they'd confessed their feelings. That didn't help much, because if she was being honest with herself, it had started long before that.

"I didn't _know_ until Poe's accident on Yavin," she said truthfully. When Finn looked confused, she explained what happened. "I was so terrified that I'd lost him. Then he made me so _angry_."

"Sounds like Poe."

Rey smiled fondly. "Anyway, it's terrifying. But Poe…he makes it less terrifying. Because I know I'm not alone, if that makes sense."

Finn nodded. "Yeah, actually, that does make sense. You two are the stubbornest people I've ever met."

"Hey!"

Finn just kept on grinning. "You're also incredible pilots and you genuinely care about people." He didn't think it was an accident that a confused and reeling former stormtrooper was drawn to those two people. His first and best friends. He would be forever grateful that they gave him a chance. "I think you're great together. Most importantly, you're both happy."

Rey found herself blushing; she wasn't accustomed to discussing her relationship with anyone but Poe. "I am," she said softly. "There was a time when I didn't think I could be happy, but now…"

"You deserve it," Finn said fervently. "We all do."

Rey regarding him curiously. "Why all the curiosity, Finn? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"It's not a big deal."

His muted conflicted aura said otherwise. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know."

"Is it your training?"

"No."

"Did something happen here on Naboo?"

"No, no, nothing like that."

Rey sighed, frustrated. Still, she couldn't force Finn to tell her. She was about to suggest they resume training when Finn muttered something under his breath. "I think I have feelings for Jannah."

Rey blinked in surprise, then she smiled. "You think?"

Finn ducked his head, embarrassed. "It's complicated. But she's the first person I've met like me."

Rey tried not to take that personally; it was true that she couldn't fully grasp the horror of what Finn went through. They had a lot of other things in common, just not that. "Have you told her?"

"No! Like I said, it's complicated. Poe said…"

"Wait, Poe knows?" Now she was hurt.

Finn felt it. "You were on Rodia the first time we talked about it," he said quickly. "I was hoping he could give me some advice, since you two are…" He trailed off, realizing that he probably wasn't making things better.

Rey considered that. Poe certainly had more relationship experience than her. It wasn't like Finn kept a secret with the intention of hurting her. And he was asking her advice _now_; that was why he asked all those questions about her and Poe. "And did he? Give you advice?"

"Yeah. I just haven't followed it. Yet."

Something else he'd said registered. "You said it was complicated. What does that mean, exactly?" But almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she felt Finn's emotions coalesce around someone else entirely. "Rose."

Finn nodded, dejected. "I don't know what to do."

Rey sometimes wondered about Finn and Rose, though she'd never asked. However, over the last few months, she'd gotten the sense that whatever feelings had been there had cooled to friendship. Finn spent most of his time with her and Poe when he wasn't on missions. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"That's what Poe suggested."

"Well, he may be a cocky flyboy, but he might have a point. Not knowing how someone feels…it's not a pleasant experience." They'd spent all those months fighting and snapping at each other, all of it a façade for how they really felt. Her connection to Poe had always been different, a tension that she'd never understood. Now that they were a couple, all of that changed. Now, when they joked and teased and bantered, it was from a place of love and security.

"I'm afraid it would just make everything awkward."

"It might. But you're not happy, Finn. As your friend, I would rather see you happy." Rose was her friend too, but Finn was her best friend. Her first real friend. He would always have a special place in her heart.

After a long pause, Finn nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to them when we get back to the base."

* * *

Poe sighed, scrubbing his hand over his eyes. He'd hoped that coming on this trip meant a break from the endless reports and meetings, but so far, that was a vain hope. It was their third day and he'd only reviewed the reformed stormtroopers _once_. That overbearing Curke guy kept Poe busy, constantly questioning his suggestions when it came to Naboo's future within the proposed government. It didn't matter that Poe didn't have any answers, nor that his own future with the transition was up in the air. Poe was the man who'd shown up, so he bore the brunt of the interrogation.

He missed Rey. She and Finn had started Finn's Jedi training, or at least, testing his Force sensitivity. Every night, he could feel her frustration and doubt when she returned to their rooms, so he took it upon himself to help her work through it in far more pleasant ways. Every time was different; every time he felt them grow closer, like links in a chain that could never be broken.

He wanted to get out of the capital. Theed was a pleasant enough place, but he was itching to explore. More than once, he'd considered asking the Queen for permission to take one of those fighters up; it had been far too long since he'd flown. He missed it, almost as much as he missed Rey.

There was a metallic bump on the other side of the door. Poe was instantly on alert, but BB-8 came rolling through once the door slid open. "Buddy, we gotta work on your sensors," Poe said, assuming his droid had run into the door accidentally.

BB-8 trilled, rolling back and forth a few feet away. Poe frowned; the binary was going by too fast for him to catch all of it. "Slow down, buddy. What did you find in the archives? And why were you snooping?"

Rather than answer him, BB-8's projector lit up; a holovid started to play. It was old, but Poe could make out a young Leia easily enough. She speaking to someone on a throne; it must have been the Queen of Naboo. Not the current one, though this woman was young as well. Unfortunately, there wasn't any audio, so he couldn't tell what they were saying. Suddenly, the image shifted slightly; there was a figure behind Leia. Another woman, this was one average height and wearing an Alliance flight suit. The blue tint of the holovid couldn't hide the woman's identity.

It was Shara Bey.

Poe sat heavily on the floor; he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. How could he have forgotten? Shortly after the Battle of Endor, his mother and Leia had come to this very place, to offer Naboo a place in the new Senate. But Palpatine, vindictive even in death, had issued another secret order, intent on destroying his home world should he ever be defeated. Leia, Shara and the Queen—Poe couldn't remember her name—flew a trio of old Naboo fighters to destroy the satellites that were trying to destroy the planet, all while getting attacked by TIE fighters. Shara nearly died.

Shara rarely spoke of her service in the war when Poe was small; he only knew because Leia mentioned it in her letter following his mother's untimely death. He was certain his father still had the letter. It wasn't much comfort at the time for a grieving eight year old that had trouble understanding why his mother was gone. He hadn't thought about the letter in years. His mind had been consumed with his own war, his own horrific experiences.

But now? Seeing his mother again?

It felt like a gift and a curse. His fingers curled around the chain around his neck, the one he never took off. He held it tight as he stared at the vid, drinking in the mother he sometimes struggled to remember. He was so young when she died; his memories were starting to get fuzzy around the edges. This was Shara in living color, a woman he'd never known. He was still a toddler during the first war; he never knew Shara Bey, decorated Rebel pilot. He knew her as the kind, loving mother, who'd given him his first taste of flying.

Gods, he missed her.

* * *

Rey's hand fell abruptly, a pained ripple going through her. She sucked in a breath, the anguish acute and sudden. She instinctively reached out to the Force, worry and fear settling in her gut.

"Rey? What's wrong?" Finn asked, concerned.

"It's Poe," she said softly. "Something's wrong. I can feel it."

"Is he in trouble?"

Rey frowned. "No, I don't think so. But he's…" The emotional turmoil she felt would have staggered her if she wasn't already sitting down. She needed to find him. She looked at Finn apologetically. "Finn, do you mind…?"

Finn shook his head. "No, you go." He felt a faint echo of what she did now; Rey would be the person Poe would want to see most. He understood that. He could check on Poe later. "Just make sure he's okay."

"I will." She squeezed Finn's hand, silently thanking him for understanding. She got to her feet, fighting the urge to sprint. Physically, she was certain he was okay, but the emotions she felt from him worried her. The Naboo had given him an office to work out of; she hoped he was there. The palace was a maze of corridors and stairs; it took longer than she expected to reach the right floor. There was a faint light shining from the open door of Poe's office. Her lightsaber swung from her belt as she approached; she kept her footfalls heavy, so she didn't startle him. "Poe?" He didn't look at her, but she could see the wetness on his cheeks. "Oh Poe."

Poe sucked in a shuddering breath as he hastily wiped at his cheeks. "What are you doing here, Sunshine?" he asked as she entered the room. She pressed the button, so it hissed shut behind her.

The vid flickered off as she moved around BB-8. "I felt you," she replied softly, settling down next to him. Not too close, in case he needed some space. "Are you okay?"

Poe sighed, both upset that he'd taken her from her training and thankful she was there. "I'm okay. You didn't have to come."

Carefully, she took his hand; he didn't pull away, which she took as a good sign. "You can't fool me, flyboy," she reminded him.

Poe leaned back against his desk. "That's going to make surprising you problematic," he joked.

Rey smiled. "You'll just have to get creative." She scooted a tiny bit closer. Before she could question him further, he let go of her hand and slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her against him. Rey brushed a kiss against his temple before leaning her head there, offering whatever comfort he needed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Poe was silent for a long time, soaking her in. He closed his eyes, allowing her love to wash over him. The shock and rekindled grief melted away slowly; her warmth and love soothed his scarred soul. For a few long minutes, he'd been that confused, heart broken boy again, his world rocked by devastating loss. He'd lost so much since then; he desperately wanted it to end.

BB-8 rolled forward, his dome bumping into their feet. His concerned beeps made Poe smile. "No, buddy. You didn't do anything wrong. I just…you reminded me of something I'd forgotten."

Rey raised her head so she could see his face. He looked more peaceful now, though his eyes were still bit red. He felt her watching him. "Our friend here was snooping the Naboo archives," he explained. "He found something he thought I needed to see."

"What was it?"

"A holovid of Leia, at the end of the first war." She waited; as much as Poe missed Leia, she suspected that wasn't the cause of his distress. "She'd come here to offer Naboo a place in the new Senate," he continued. "She had a pilot with her. My mother."

Rey's eyes flew wide. She didn't have to imagine his feelings, because she'd felt them. "I'm so sorry, Poe."

He gave her waist a squeeze. "Somehow, I'd forgotten about it. Mama…she didn't talk much, about her time in the war. Papa was always telling stories, but my mother…at the time, I didn't think anything of it, because she was showing me how to fly. Then she was gone."

Rey saw him fiddle with the ring that hung from his neck. She wished she could do more to ease his pain. She understood his grief, all too well. She'd been even younger than Poe when her parents left her on Jakku, only to be murdered shortly after. She remembered the visions she'd seen when they visited the Force tree on Yavin, Shara Bey's kind eyes and giving spirit. She'd passed those traits on to her son.

"I'm sorry I scared you," Poe murmured. "I was just…surprised. It's a bit like losing her all over again. Seeing her…I realized how much I'm starting to forget her. I don't want to forget."

Rey cupped his cheek, gently urging him to look at her. The sadness in his beautiful brown eyes broke her heart. "Don't be sorry. I want to be here for you, Poe. Isn't that what partners are supposed to do?"

His lips twitched in a faint smile. He leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you, Rey. More than you can possibly know."

She smiled; those words never failed to make her heart beat faster. Her eyes fell closed as his lips brushed hers, his kiss tender and sweet. "Would you like to show me?" she asked, running her fingers through his curls. "I've only seen glimpses of her."

"Okay." He raised his head and gestured toward their droid. "Whaddya say, buddy? Can you play it again?"

BB-8 beeped excitedly, rolling away slightly to give them a better view. Once more, the holovid illuminated the room; this time, Poe held on to Rey tightly. They watched Leia's silent conversation with the Queen, then the picture turned toward Shara. While Poe favored Kes in many respects, Rey could see Shara in her son. The woman in the vid was beautiful; Rey could see how Poe had inherited his wavy curls from her. Her eyes were serious, but Rey could detect an ache behind them. She missed her husband and son, more than she was willing to show. Rey's heart went out to this woman she'd never met. How many others were like her?

"She would love you," Poe murmured. "I know it."

"Very confident, General."

"Everyone loves you, Sunshine," he replied. "You had Papa wrapped around your finger in about five minutes."

"He was just being nice!"

Poe shook his head. "People are drawn to you, Rey. Your kindness, your compassion, your _strength_. You remind me of her."

She didn't know what to say to that. She didn't remember enough about her parents to know if they would like Poe. She hoped they would. She hoped they would want her to be happy. "Do you think there's more?"

Poe frowned. "More what?"

"I don't know. Vids, information. About Shara. You said Beebee-Ate was snooping around the archives?" It was something she intended to do herself; she simply hadn't gotten the chance yet.

Poe realized he needed to tell her the rest of the story before she found out another way. "Rey, there's something else about that mission you need to know."

Something about his tone worried her. "Why? What happened?"

Poe moved slightly, so he was sitting across from her. He took her hands into both of his. "Shortly after Leia and my mother landed, there were terrible storms. Unnatural phenomena were occurring all over the planet. The Emperor…Palpatine put an order in place, in case of his death. It was called Operation: Cinder. A Star Destroyer launched a series of satellites around Naboo, all designed to make the planet inhospitable."

Rey's stomach dropped. Her grandfather tried to destroy his home planet? He wanted to kill millions in retaliation for defeat? All of a sudden, she couldn't breathe. Just when she thought her grandfather couldn't get any worse…

Poe felt her distress. He stroked her hands with his thumbs. He wished he could make this better. "But they saved the day, Sunshine. Leia, my mother and the Queen. I can't remember her name. Anyway, they flew some old Naboo fighters that were hidden from the Empire and took out the satellites. They fought off a bunch of TIEs too. Lando showed up with the Rebel fleet, which won the day for the good guys."

Rey struggled to keep up with his story. All she could hear was that terrible maniacal laugh. She'd almost _become _him. She'd been a hairsbreadth away from striking him down. Unbidden, her vision of herself on the Death Star rose before her eyes. _Empress Palpatine._

Her emotions bombarded him on all sides. He'd never felt anything like it. Worse, he didn't know what to do. Around them, random objects started to float and quivered menacingly, reflecting the anguish swirling around her. Poe breathed deeply; he needed to be calm and settled for her. Show her that he wasn't afraid.

"Rey." He could almost feel her drifting away from him. "Rey." He laced his fingers with hers, holding on tight. "Rey, Sunshine. Look at me. Look at me, sweetheart. I'm right here. Come back to me." He focused on her, on the future he wanted to have with her. He pictured them flying together. He pictured them on Yavin, surrounded by droids and children of all ages. He pictured them older, her smile still lighting up his world. He willed her to see what he saw, her goodness and her love. For a few long moments, he didn't think it was working, then he felt her shudder. Her hazel eyes locked with his; her fingers squeezed his hard. Tears streamed down her cheeks, which broke his heart.

"There's my girl," he said, offering her a smile.

Rey blinked; more tears splashed on her cheeks. Would she never be free of the guilt that came with being Palpatine's granddaughter? How could Poe even look at her? Yet, here he was, holding her, loving her. A series of loud crashes broke the moment; Rey jumped a little.

"It's okay," he soothed, not caring about the trinkets. "You're okay, Rey."

"I…I don't…feel okay," she confessed. Her voice choked on a sob; Poe pulled her close, sitting her awkwardly in his lap. He stroked her back as she cried, letting her get it out. She kept so much inside, taking on the weight of the galaxy on her slender shoulders. It was too much for one person.

"Shhh, I've got you, Sunshine," he whispered. "Let it all out. It's okay."

Rey held on to him for dear life, her head buried in the crook of his neck. She didn't understand why this was hitting her so hard, after everything she'd seen. She felt wretched and selfish, allowing Poe to comfort her when she'd come to comfort _him._ His parents had been among the trillions who suffered under her grandfather's reign of terror, facing a multitude of near death experiences, fighting in a war when they should have watched their son grow up. Now that son held her so tenderly, loved her so selflessly.

The Force worked in mysterious ways.

Slowly, he felt her begin to calm down. She hiccupped several times; she sniffed harshly. Poe's shirt was soaked, but he didn't care. "Better now?"

Rey rested her hand over his heart, feeling the steady thump. "I don't know," she replied honestly.

He kissed the top of her head. "You don't have to be," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere." He doubted himself, all the time. He'd done things he wasn't proud of. Yet, he knew that with her beside him, everything would be alright. They would be alright.

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking. "You know who I am, Poe. You didn't see what I saw on the Death Star…"

"I don't need to see it, Rey. That's not who you are. My Sunshine could never be what you saw in that vision."

"I was going to strike him down," she countered. "If Ben hadn't…"

Poe took a deep breath. He would probably hate Kylo Ren until the day he died, but he was so grateful that the man had come to Rey's aid when she needed him. "Rey, listen to me. You told me that you would have done it _to save us._ The people you cared about. Your motives were good. If that's the truth, then you are _nothing_ like Palpatine, because all he understood was destruction and misery."

Rey felt the conviction in his voice; she felt it in her heart. Poe truly believed that she was good. He loved her. It was killing him to see her filled with fear and doubt. "I couldn't let you die," she whispered. "Any of you, but I _felt_ you. I knew you were in one of those X-wings, fighting. You would never stay behind."

Poe shook his head. "Not in my nature. Like it's not in yours." He kissed her forehead. "You're one of the most determined women I've ever met."

"Don't you mean stubborn?"

Poe chuckled. "You said it, not me."

She laughed too, shoving gently at his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said at last.

"Sorry for what? You're allowed to _feel_."

"No, not about that. I'm sorry for everything my grandfather did. Your parents fought to free the galaxy when they should have been with you. He robbed you of precious time, Poe. Time you could have had with your mother. She was _here_ fighting, because of _him_. And I am so, so sorry."

It was Poe's turn to get a little choked up. "Rey, none of that is your fault. I was really little then; I don't remember it. I lived with my grandfather, actually." He smiled, remembering the old man. He was gone now too. "Besides, I wouldn't change anything about my parents. I'm proud to be their son, to carry on their legacy." The thing he wished the most was for his mother to still be here, so she could meet Rey. "And if things were different, then I wouldn't have met you. I can't imagine my life without you, Sunshine, and I don't want to."

How did she get someone like Poe Dameron in her life? The lonely lost girl from Jakku was loved by someone as patient, good and selfless as Poe. Once more, the future he conjured appeared before her eyes. She'd _seen_ it, just as clearly as she saw him now. Somehow, she'd seen it. Poe claimed his Force sensitivity was negligible, but she was starting to wonder. Never taking her eyes from his, she closed the space between them and kissed him. Poe surrendered to the softness of her lips, just happy she was still there with him. He hated seeing her doubt herself or his love for her.

Rey shifted her body, untangling her limbs. She never stopped kissing him, hoping he could feel all the things she couldn't find the words to say. Love didn't feel adequate for the way she felt about him. It was a little frightening, the intensity of her feelings. Perhaps this was what the Jedi were concerned about? Not that it mattered. She wasn't giving this up. She wanted that future he showed her. She wanted to spend her days at his side, living and loving.

Poe settled his hands on her waist, keeping her steady as she perched precariously in his lap. "Easy there, sweetheart," he murmured. "Can't have you falling."

She hugged him tight. "I always land on my feet, flyboy," she teased.

He laughed. "We'll have to see about that."

Rey settled back, until she was sitting on his thighs. "I saw it, you know. Our future."

Poe's brow creased. "You did?" A pause. "Wait, you saw what I imagined? Or a real vision?"

"What you imagined. Flying, Yavin, all of it." She studied his handsome face; even now, a handful of gray hairs dotted his dark curls. "You had gray hair. I liked it."

Poe flushed. He was becoming more comfortable with their age difference, but he wasn't an old man yet. "Well, you'll be as beautiful as ever."

"I can't wait to find out."

Poe looked horrified. "I'm looking forward to many, many years with you before we get to _that_, Sunshine. I'm not ready to be a grandfather." His eyes suddenly flew wide as he realized what he'd said. "Or not. Totally up to you, I'm good either way…" He realized he was panicking, so he shut up.

Rey blinked, confused. Why was her pilot suddenly freaking out? "Poe, did I say something wrong?"

"No, you're fine. My mouth ran away from me again. Pretend I never said anything."

She arched a brow at him. "Something's upset you."

Poe sighed. This was not really the time or the place to have this conversation, but she seemed determined. "It's not something we've talked about, Rey. I wanted to wait, but we all know what they say about good intentions."

"What haven't we talked about?"

"Children, Rey. As in us, having our own."

Suddenly, his feelings made sense. "Oh."

"Exactly. You're young still and I know you want to open a school or temple or whatever for others like you. You've got a calling and I want to support that." He wasn't getting any younger, but that didn't matter. He'd always imagined having his own children one day, but during the war that felt like a pipe dream. Now he had Rey, and honestly? Having her was _enough_. Being with her…he didn't feel like anything was _missing._ "I just thought we'd talk about it when things were more settled…" Like after he'd asked her to marry him. Because children or not, he wanted her to be his wife. There were plenty of ways to have a family. She was his family, right now. She was all he needed to be happy.

Rey circled the ring around his neck thoughtfully. "I haven't given it much thought," she said honestly. At the moment, she had an implant to make sure she couldn't get pregnant, but that had been because they were in the middle of a war. She hadn't given much thought to what came after. "What do you want?"

He decided to be honest. "When I was younger, I imagined kids. Then I joined the Resistance and started to doubt I'd even live that long." He covered her hand with his. "Then this amazing woman walked into my life."

She blushed. "And now?"

"Rey, we don't have to make any decisions now. You understand that, right?"

"Yeah, but Poe…"

"I meant what I said. I am _fine_ either way. We could have a gaggle of droid children." BB-8 beeped, making them both smile. "We could nurture a new generation of Jedi. We could have a little girl with your eyes and my curls. Or a boy," he continued when she opened her mouth. "Or more than one. As long as it's something we _both_ want. I don't want you to feel obligated to some daydream I had when I was seventeen. I've grown up a lot since then, at least I hope I have."

Rey leaned in and kissed him fervently. She wasn't sure what she wanted, so she was happy that he wanted to take time for them to figure things out. Honestly, she didn't know what kind of mother she would be. Her own abandoned her; Leia was gone. It was a daunting prospect. She had to be honest with him. "I don't know how I feel yet. I didn't think I'd ever…"

"You don't have to explain."

"I don't even know how to be a mother."

She sounded so dejected; it hurt his heart. "I think Beebee-Ate and Dio would disagree with you."

She smiled ruefully. "That's different and you know it."

"Is it? You care about the people around you. You put them above yourself. If there's another requirement, I don't know what it is." He slid his hands down her upper arms. "Like I said, no decisions. But I want you to know that no matter what we choose, _you are enough._ If our family is only ever you and me, I'm okay with that."

Relief washed through her. She didn't want to disappoint him. She didn't want him to have any regrets. Deep down, she knew he'd be an amazing father though. It was a choice they would make together; she appreciated that. "Thank you, Poe."

"For what?"

"For lots of things, I guess. None of this is easy, but I always feel safe when I'm with you."

Poe smiled, curling an errant lock of her hair around his finger. "That makes me very happy, Sunshine." They'd only been together for a few weeks, but it felt longer. He sometimes had trouble recalling a time when she wasn't a part of his life. They were best friends, lovers, soulmates. She was everything to him.

"Maybe we should get off the floor?" Rey teased, smiling as he continued to toy with her hair.

Poe laughed. "Might be a good idea." She climbed off his lap; Poe's legs tingled as he stood. How long had they been on the floor? He lost track of time. There was a padded settee along the wall; they settled in that, with Rey sprawled across his chest. He had work he should probably be doing, but he didn't want her to leave. He'd missed her. After the emotional turmoil, they both needed a break from everything. He was all too willing to take it.

* * *

Rey leaned back in her seat, trying to take in the beauty before her. The speeder glided over the lush green plain; her nose was bombarded by unique scents. The sun shined high in the sky; it was a beautiful day. For the first time since they landed on Naboo, Rey felt like she could truly breathe.

Of course, her companion had a talent for making her breathless.

Poe smiled to himself; he didn't know exactly what she was thinking, but he had an idea. It had been far too long since they'd gotten some time alone. Ever since BB-8's discovery in the archives, they'd been juggling two distinct and conflicting tasks. Poe had finally put his foot down and insisted he be given the chance to evaluate the former stormtroopers properly, rather than spend endless hours in meetings. He wanted to know how they were doing and how they were being treated. In the short term, filling their ranks with their former enemies sounded crazy, but it was the best way to boost their manpower. And they needed it. Even on Naboo, he was still getting reports of rogue First Order units terrorizing the galaxy. Their experiment on Naboo was crucial to winning, he was certain of it.

No one understood the transition better than Finn, so they worked closely together. It was nice, spending some quality time with his friend. Finn took their job very seriously; Poe wondered if he'd given any thought to the future. Finn might be a little green, but he had a talent for getting people to follow him. That would be important. Poe felt a bit guilty, taking Finn away from his Jedi training. From what Rey told him, they were finally making some progress. Poe was excited for Finn; he would be a fantastic Jedi, if he chose to be. Finn confided that he still wasn't sure what he wanted. There was no rush to decide; the future was wide open. For all of them.

While Finn and Poe worked with the troopers, Rey did some investigating of her own. The Queen readily granted her permission for them to do further research in the archives after discovering that Poe was the son of Shara Bey. It turned out that the then Queen of Naboo, Sosha Soruna, was distant relative of the current Queen. She'd listened to stories of that mission as a child; it made her want to go into politics. Poe couldn't hide the pride he felt; his mother helped save this beautiful planet and inspired a whole new generation of leaders. The Queen even had a picture of his mother that Poe had never seen.

Poe and Finn helped Rey as much as their schedules allowed. She spent long hours among the books and holoreels, reading. BB-8 helped, cataloging everything they found. Of course, Shara wasn't the only thing Rey was investigating. After talking things over with Finn, the three of them decided that Rey should use this opportunity to find out as much about her birth family as she could. It was easy enough, since Operation: Cinder had been Palpatine's scheme. No one need know that the Emperor's granddaughter walked among them.

Things changed when Rey discovered that Palpatine's home was still standing, virtually abandoned. Poe felt it, the moment she made the discovery. He'd been in the middle of interviewing a squad of troopers, but he cut it short to find her. Finn arrived at the archives the same time Poe did, drawn there by her conflicted emotions. The trio talked it out together, Rey's hand firmly in Poe's as they worked out what to do.

Two days later, Poe persuaded the Queen to let he and Rey borrow a speeder, ostensibly for a romantic getaway. Finn volunteered to stay behind and kept the peace between the Naboo and the Resistance, wishing them luck in their search. The further they got from the capital, the more they could pretend this _was_ a romantic outing rather than a mission into Rey's past. If Poe had his way, then they'd take some time for the former, after completing the latter. They deserved it.

"It's almost like there was no war," Rey said, ending the silence. "It's so peaceful."

"It almost reminds me of home," he agreed. "Not as humid though."

"I miss Yavin too." She'd only been there a short time, but she'd grown to love it. Poe talked about traveling—and perhaps they would—but she knew, deep down, he wanted Yavin to be their home. She could think of no better place for them to settle.

"I doubt you'll be saying that on the hottest day of the year, sweetheart," he teased gently.

"I grew up on a desert planet, remember?"

"Exactly. Desert. Dry heat. Yavin's a jungle."

She shot him an impish grin. "Then maybe you'll just have to show me how to s_tay cool,_ flyboy."

Poe's brow shot up in surprise; she was being very playful, despite their mission. Or perhaps because of their mission. He could only imagine how she was feeling; if she wanted a distraction, he'd indulge her. "Might be sooner than you think," he parried, letting his eyes rake over her. That had the intended affect; Rey flushed. "We're not far from the Lake District; I bet there are some secluded spots around."

"Poe!"

"What? You started it, Sunshine."

She couldn't stop grinning. Bantering with Poe was one of her favorite things. It kept her mind off what they were out there to do. Also, Naboo was a beautiful place; Poe liked to talk about all the beautiful places he wanted to take her.

She leaned across the console and kissed his scruffy cheek. "You're being difficult again, General Dameron," she mock scolded.

"You love it when I'm difficult, Sunshine," he replied. "Don't deny it."

She smiled to herself. Would it be so bad to take some time to themselves after they were finished? Judging by the way Poe was looking at her, she didn't think it would be too difficult to persuade him.

As much fun as he was having, he forced himself to look at the navigation. "Not far now," he observed. "Sure you're up for this?"

Rey sat up straighter. There was a part of her that wanted to pretend that her past didn't matter, but she knew she couldn't do that. She needed to know. She couldn't even remember her parents' names. Who was her grandmother? Had her grandfather always been evil? She had so many questions that needed answering. "I'm sure."

The plain below them started to rise; the Palpatine property was nestled at the base of a hill on the edge of the Lake District. It was clearly abandoned, left to rot. Grass, bushes and trees were overgrown; vines scaled the walls. The building was roughly three stories; broken glass and stone loomed over them as Poe guided the speeder to a stop. A shudder rolled through Rey; the Dark Side seemed to hang over this place. She could feel its malevolent influence prickle along her skin.

"You okay?" Poe asked.

"I can feel it," she replied. "The darkness."

"We can still go."

"No, I need to know." She jumped out of the speeder; Poe hurried to follow her. Once he caught up, he slipped his hand into hers, giving it a light squeeze. She smiled at him, grateful he was there. This wasn't something she wanted to do alone.

They picked their way through the high grass and bushes; the stone walkway was nearly completely obscured. "No one's been here in decades," Poe observed, unease sliding down his spine.

"Not since Darth Sidious declared himself Emperor," Rey confirmed. "So about fifty years?"

"We finally found something older than me."

Rey smiled. "You're not old; you're distinguished."

Poe tugged her to a stop, planting a kiss on her lips. "Distinguished, huh?"

Being so close to him took her breath away. There was something about the way he was looking at her that made her weak in the knees. She closed the distance between them, kissing him more firmly. Poe groaned softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. She let herself get lost the kiss for a few blissful moments; she could almost forget what they were there to do. "Mine," she whispered. "All that matters is you're mine."

Poe kissed the corner of her mouth. "And you're mine, Sunshine."

Reluctantly, they broke apart; Rey kept his hand in hers. The building was still foreboding, but she felt lighter. The darkness didn't feel so overwhelming now. She could breathe again. Poe stayed close, letting her lead. They climbed a pair of crumbling stairs, which led to the gaping hole where a door once stood. The older stately homes on Naboo were decidedly low tech; everything was built in wood and stone.

"Where to first?"

Rey reached out with the Force, hoping it would give them a clue. So much anger and hate lingered here; she couldn't imagine anyone actually _living_ here. Palpatine lived a double life for so long, masquerading at the benevolent Senator while pulling the strings as a Sith lord. Most of what she'd found in the archives had been discovered in the years since Palpatine's purported death on the second Death Star. Some of the things she read made her blood run cold. She didn't understand how anyone could be so power hungry or so cruel. He ordered the slaughter of millions, including the entire Jedi Order.

She was all that was left.

"What is it?"

"I don't understand how I could be related to someone like…this." She gestured around them. "There was no trauma; he'd grown up loved. How could anyone be so hungry for _power?_" It was the same question she'd asked herself a hundred times regarding Kylo Ren; she'd never discovered the answer.

"We don't choose where we come from," Poe said. "But we don't have to let that define who we are. This is not who you are. This place belonged to someone who lived and breathed darkness. You, Rey, are someone who shines brightly in the light."

"I want to," she said, her eyes darting around the room. "I don't want to be like this."

"Come on. Let's see what we can find about your parents." The sooner they got out of this place, the better. It gave him the creeps.

They searched the whole first floor, but neither found anything noteworthy. Lots of broken furniture, dust and cobwebs, mostly. Poe stepped right into a huge web, getting the sticky substance all over his face and hair. From then on he held his flashlight aloft; he didn't want to be caught unawares again. They took a winding iron staircase up to the second floor; it wobbled a bit under their weight, but it held. Rey stiffened almost immediately; Poe rested his hand on her back, concerned.

"What is it?"

"There's something up here. Something dark."

Rey led the way down the narrow corridors, her lightsaber lit. She didn't sense danger per se, but it was dark. The bright yellow light made her feel better; she'd read that the guardians of the Jedi temples carried yellow sabers. Wasn't that what she was now? The guardian of the Jedi? She didn't have a temple, but she did have knowledge. She would need all the knowledge she could get to bring the Jedi back. Her grandfather would not win. She would see to that.

Poe kicked in every door they passed, just to be sure they were alone. He didn't feel the darkness the way Rey did, but he definitely didn't like being here. Besides being creepy, it just gave him a bad feeling. He didn't care about her past, but he knew how important this was to her. There was so much she didn't know about herself. If this was what she needed to do to find peace, then he was going to do his best to be there for her.

Rey stopped in front of what appeared to be a blank wall. She held her hand out; before she even closed her eyes, she sensed it. Something very dark and very powerful lay on the other side of the wall. "There's a hidden room. We need to find a way in."

Poe was taken aback when she handed him her lightsaber. It was heavier than he expected; he had to hold it with two hands. She'd made this from her staff? He liked to watch her train; she never betrayed just how heavy and unwieldy it could be. No, Rey was downright graceful with her saber in her hand; it moved like an extension of her arm. In just that few seconds, he discovered an all new respect for her.

Rey ran her fingers over the stone; she was sure there was some sort of mechanism that would let them enter. She used the Force to guide her; following her instincts, she edged to the right, until she felt the stone warm under her touch. She pressed against it; there was a low hissing sound, then a creak as the stone shifted away from her. It rose into the ceiling, opening into another dark room.

Poe handed Rey back her saber, then he followed her. Even he could sense it now, the intense darkness. Rey found some oil lamps; she used the tip of her lighted saber to ignite them. Task accomplished, she clipped the saber back to her belt. They were surrounded by relics and old books; the walls were bathed in red.

"The guy really had a fetish, didn't he?"

Rey shot Poe a look, but she didn't scold him. She knew he was joking to ease the tension. Ever since they entered, she felt taut like a bowstring; anticipation coiled in her belly. And not the good kind of anticipation. She thought she wanted answers; now she wasn't so sure.

Poe decided to keep his mouth shut and help her look for what they'd come for. This room was even dustier than the others, probably due to the lack of air circulating. Was this where Palpatine had master minded the takeover of the galaxy? One man had caused so much suffering and death, but for Poe, none was worse than what happened to the woman he loved. Poe would rather die than abandon the people he loved; Palpatine destroyed everything he touched.

Except Rey.

Poe wasn't about to let her spirit be crushed under the weight of the Emperor's sins. Not as long as was breathing.

Rey scanned the shelves; these were books she'd never seen. They were _old_, leather cracked and crumbling, ink faded on brown pages. They reminded her of the Jedi texts she'd stolen from Ahch-To. Could these be the Sith sacred texts?

"Rey, come look at this."

She crossed the room; Poe was bent over another book, but this one wasn't nearly as old. There were symbols she didn't recognize at the top of the page, but the rest was in Basic. It was a list, a list of names. Two by two, with dates she couldn't decipher.

"Do you think this is the old dating system?" Poe asked, running his finger down the side of the page.

"It must be," she agreed. She didn't know much about it, having grown up with the current system.

"Who are all these people?"

There were more pages just like this one, going back thousands of years. She scanned the list looking for something she recognized. There, toward the bottom, she found it. _Darth Vader_. Above it was _Darth Sidious._ "I know what this is."

"Care to enlighten the Force challenged?"

Rey gave him a look. "You're stronger with the Force than you realize," she scolded him. "And getting stronger all the time."

"Sweetheart, I'm in love with a Jedi. I think that's all you."

She ignored him. If denying his abilities made him feel better, then she would go along with him. For now. One day, she'd show him. "The Sith had the Rule of Two. There could only be a Master and an Apprentice. This is a list of them, going back centuries, if not longer."

"Why only two?"

"I'm not sure, but it usually ended with the Apprentice killing the Master."

"Fun."

She pointed. "Sidious had three known apprentices. Darth Maul, Darth Tyrannus and Darth Vader."

"Anakin Skywalker."

She nodded. "According to Leia, the Jedi believed he was the Chosen One, the one who would end the Sith forever."

"I think he missed one."

Rey ran her fingers over the name. "He spoke to me. On Exegol. He was one of the Jedi of the past. I felt the weight of his mistakes. He came back to the light and found peace. Since I'm the last, he lives on in me. They all do."

"You won't be the last for long, Rey. I thought you wanted to rebuild the Order?"

"I do. I don't know if I can do it alone."

"You're not alone. I'll be right beside you. I bet Finn will too. We can do it together."

"I'd like to start on Yavin," she confided. "Build a new temple. Maybe near the Force tree."

"I think we'll need to talk to Papa about that, but I think that's an amazing idea." He very much wanted to build their home on Yavin; it felt right. From there they could travel the galaxy, searching for potential students, fighting about who got to fly.

Rey smiled; she was starting to get really antsy for this future they kept talking about. She could tell Poe was too; they both wanted to move forward. This place was her family's past. It wasn't hers. It was funny that it took coming here for her to accept that.

"Hey, what's this?" Poe held up a holo of a blonde woman he didn't recognize. Why would Palpatine have it?

Rey snatched it from him, staring at it intently. How did her grandfather have such a thing? He must have tracked her parents down and had them followed for longer than she realized.

"Rey, who is that?"

She turned it, so he could see. "Poe, this is my mother."

Poe's jaw dropped. "Um, that's…wow. May I?"

Rey didn't want to part with this precious link to her past, but she handed it over. Poe studied the woman; she was blonde, slender like Rey. Beautiful too. Rey must gave gotten her chestnut locks from her father; he got the feeling this woman was a natural blonde. Still, he could see shades of Rey in her; she was all light. "Now we know why you're sunshine," he murmured.

"Why?"

"Because you get it from her."

Rey slid beside him to gaze at the picture. Her memory was fuzzy, but she knew that smile. It was the same one that haunted her dreams on Jakku. Poe wrapped his arm across her shoulders; she leaned against him. He was solid and warm, steady as her throat tightened. This was the woman she hadn't seen since she was five, the woman who used to sing her to sleep. Part of her wondered if all that was her imagination, but now she knew it was real. Her parents loved her; that's why they left her behind. They wanted her safe, even if they weren't.

Poe kissed her temple. He understood exactly how she felt; he'd been there, just a few days ago. Nothing else mattered; he was so glad she got to have this. "You okay?"

Rey sniffed. "Yeah. I just…never thought I'd see her again."

"We can take it with us, if you want."

Rey hugged his waist. "Thank you."

They searched a bit more, hoping to find a bit more on her parents. There was nothing, not even their names. Of course, she realized bitterly, Palpatine wouldn't care about that. All he cared about was his own power. Her father was a means to an end, nothing more. Yet, he'd been a _person._ Someone who loved and lost and sacrificed for his child. Standing in this place, Rey was so grateful that he was nothing like the man who sired him.

"Ready to go, Sunshine?"

Rey looked around, something bothered her. The picture of her mother was tucked safely away in a satchel she'd found on the first floor, but there was something else they needed to do. "We should destroy this."

"Destroy what?"

She gestured around the room. "All of this. Poe, this is the ancient knowledge of the Sith. This is how Palpatine rose to power. I may have destroyed him, but if this knowledge was found…the Sith could rise again. We can't let that happen." She could feel the malevolence, the darkness. The Sith only understood pain and anger and power. Palpatine may be gone, but the teachings remained. Unless they destroyed it, right here, right now.

"Rey, I'm usually all for blowing stuff up, but are you sure? Burning these books won't magically rid the galaxy of evil. People are…well, we're flawed."

"Maybe not, but we have to try. This might slow things down. I don't want this to be my family's legacy." Both her blood family and adopted family had succumbed to the darkness; she nearly had herself. She needed to do this, to make those sacrifices worth it.

"Okay. Let's do it."

It took longer than Poe expected. They searched the surrounding area for a depression in the ground that they could use for the bonfire. Rey didn't want to burn down the whole building. Once they found something suitable, she used the Force to surround it with rocks while Poe brought the books down. Their next task was setting the fire. They had to improvise, using some oil from the remaining oil lamps and hell of a lot of kindling. Rey piled the Sith texts on top of the pile, then she stepped back. Poe drew his blaster; Rey followed suit. He didn't ask her again if she was sure; he could sense how badly she needed to do this. They fired at the same time, once, twice, three times. The old paper smoked and crackled until it caught fire, illuminating their faces with flames.

Rey stood there until she was sure every last book on aflame. Knowledge was power. She could rebuild the Jedi Order partly because she stole the sacred texts from Ahch-To. With Exegol destroyed, this was the last repository for the teachings of the Sith. The Sith died with Palpatine; now they would remain dead.

Poe gave her a few moments alone, opting to wait for her by the speeder. He was more than ready to get away from this place; they'd accomplished what they'd come for. He hoped Rey had found some of the answers she sought. Still, he felt better when he saw her emerge from the tree line. She seemed at peace, which was a relief. "Where to, Master Jedi?"

Rey knew they should go back to Theed, but she wasn't ready for all that. It had been a long, emotional day. "Take me somewhere quiet," she whispered in his ear. "Maybe even…secluded."

Poe grinned at her; it was almost like she'd read his mind. He knew she w_ouldn't_, but he could think of far better places to spend their time. Fortunately, he knew just the place. Finn wouldn't mind if they took a few hours for themselves. "One secluded spot, coming right up!"

* * *

"Poe, this is…" She looked around in awe. A waterfall splashed into the small lake; there was a cave mouth right behind it. They were surrounded by tall trees and soft grass and flowers; it was like something out of a dream. "How did you find this place?"

Poe surprised her by blushing. "Um, one of the Queen's handmaidens mentioned it. You know, they think we're on a romantic outing."

"We are now." First, fixing the Falcon, now this? "And you said you couldn't surprise me."

He chuckled. "I wasn't sure I could find it. The map was kinda crude." It was currently stuffed in his pocket, out of sight.

"Like crude maps are a problem for the famous Poe Dameron."

"I'm not famous, Sunshine. You are."

"Maybe not yet, but you will be. Everyone's going to want to meet the man who defeated the First Order."

"But I didn't do it by myself. I had a _lot _of help." Honestly, if that makeshift fleet of Lando's hadn't shown up, they would have been screwed. He didn't want to be the poster boy for winning the war. He just wanted to secure the peace, then retire. He had a whole new life waiting for him. They both knew they would need to be patient to get there. Until then, they needed to enjoy moments like this.

Poe brought some food with them; he was starving. Together, they spread out a blanket and the basket filled with food. It was filled with treats Rey had never seen before; she was certain Poe had a hand in that. His eyes lit up with joy every time she tried something new. Everything was delicious; it didn't take long for their full bellies and the peaceful surroundings to make her drowsy.

"Sleepy, sweetheart?"

She snuggled against him, her head on his chest. "Maybe a little. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's been a crazy few days." They'd been on emotional roller coaster, almost since they arrived. For the first time in days, he sensed she'd found some peace. He kissed the top of her head. "We can stay here as long as you want."

She rested her hand on her chest. "Is there some place like this on Yavin?"

Poe smiled. "I think we could find one. Would you like that?"

"Yeah, I think I would. I miss it."

"Me too. Don't you want to travel?"

"Just so long as you don't lightspeed skip my ship again."

Poe growled with feigned indignance. "We were being chased by TIEs! What did you expect me to do? Get shot out of the sky?"

"I expect my ship to not be on fire, flyboy." She did enjoy teasing him.

Rey yelped as Poe switched them, using his body to pin her to the blanket. The spark in his eyes warmed her to her toes; she stared up at him, unapologetic. She sighed as his mouth slanted over hers, filled with the promise of a very pleasant afternoon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: **Well, this chapter took a turn I wasn't expecting. Two of them, actually. First, we're earning that rating again, folks! (I still feel the need to warn people who are new to what I do, since this is only my third Star Wars fic lol) Second, the muse decided we needed some intrigue, so buckle up. We've also go one pretty huge milestone in this chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The less said, the better.

**Chapter 8**

Rey tread lightly, but her footfalls still carried in the cavernous corridor. She carried a torch aloft; it felt wrong to use her lightsaber in such a hallowed place. True to her word, the Queen of Naboo had finally arranged Rey's visit into the crypts below the palace. They were old, older than the palace above her head. Queens from Naboo's earliest human history were buried here. She could feel the history and the death that hung in the air as she traversed the ancient corridors.

Poe and Finn offered to accompany her, but she'd refused. She felt very strongly that this was something she needed to do alone. While Padme Amidala was not her blood kin, she felt a certain kinship with her. Like Rey, she'd tried to save someone she cared about from the darkness. Both Rey and Padme had failed, costing the latter her life. It would have cost Rey hers as well, had Padme's grandson not saved her. For better or worse, all of this began with the forbidden love of Padme and Anakin.

It was time to forge a new path.

She scanned the names of dead queens as she passed, searching. Many were faded almost beyond recognition, but the one she searched for was much more recent. She'd read about Padme's funeral in the archives; at the time, no one knew the cause of her death. Even worse, everyone thought her baby died with her. Since the twins were whisked away into hiding almost as soon as they were born, no one needed to know. Naboo mourned their young beautiful Senator while beginning to tremble in fear of the newly minted Emperor.

Most of the graves were undisturbed, but a few had dried flowers or small trinkets. Normally, the only visitors allowed in the royal crypts were family of the deceased. She spotted several with the same family name, generations apart. Padme's family were not politicians by trade; she developed an interest in politics from an early age. Rey was fascinated by her; this woman saved her planet as a teenager, spent years as a Senator and dared to love a Jedi. Rey even looked a bit like her, with dark chestnut hair.

What would it have been like to be alive in Padme's time? Thousands of Jedi roamed the galaxy, keeping the peace. She wouldn't have been alone. She'd have been taken from her family, very young, and trained in the Temple on Coruscant. No attachments, no family to speak of. Just her sacred duty. The thought left her cold, as it must have Anakin. She didn't want to live in a world where she had to forsake everything and everyone she loved. Her love gave her strength.

She felt a slight tremble in the Force, jerking her out of her thoughts. She thrust the torch closer to the stone in front of her, right at her feet.

_Padme Amidala Naberrie, Queen of Naboo, Senator._ No birth or death dates, but underneath, there was a newer, smaller inscription. _Wife, mother, friend to all who knew her._ A small clutch of dried flowers lay at the head of the slab, but they weren't brown and crumbling like some of the others. These were fresher.

"My aunt still visits," a familiar voice murmured.

Rey straightened, greeted by the blue glowing form of her master. "Leia."

Leia smiled. "Hello, Rey."

Rey's heart clenched even as she smiled. "Master."

"It is good to see you, Rey, thriving and happy."

She found herself blushing. "We miss you. Poe misses you."

Leia nodded. "He's doing a fine job without me, whether he believes it or not. I left our cause in good hands."

Rey looked around, half expecting to see Luke. "My brother's never been here," Leia said sadly. "I only got to visit once, at the end of the war."

"I know. Poe's mother was with you."

"Shara was one of the finest pilots I've ever known, but it was her role as a mother I truly admired." Leia sighed. "I wish I could have done as well of a job as she did."

Rey started to reach out, but she caught herself. "You saved your son. He came back to the light." Part of Rey wanted to ask if Ben was…like her and Luke, but she also knew she wasn't sure how she would react. She'd forgiven Ben Solo for his misdeeds against her, but the scars remained and likely would for a long time. She still had nightmares. The man she loved still had nightmares.

"Ben is at peace now. That is all I can ask for."

Rey gestured down to the stone at her feet. "Do you…remember her?"

"She died moments after our birth. Images, feelings, that's all I have of her. Growing up, I was aware that I was adopted but my parents never told me the truth. After the war, I was fortunate enough to come here. I acquired some of her things; I came to visit this very place. I tried to learn what I could, speak to people who knew her."

"I don't know my mother's name." Rey hadn't meant to say it, but it slipped out. Ever since the trip to her grandfather's former home, it bothered her. The precious picture of her mother was tucked away in Rey's travel bag for safe keeping.

"I'm afraid I can't give you the knowledge you seek."

"I know, Master." She'd found far more than she'd ever expected; she needed to make peace with that. The past was the past. She didn't want to kill it, as Kylo Ren had urged her so long ago; she wanted to move forward. "It would have been nice to know that."

Leia's smile was kind. "She lives on in you, Rey. Poe wasn't wrong about that."

"You saw?"

"I must admit, I wondered if you two would ever figure things out. I'm glad to see you have."

Rey flushed again. "You don't disapprove? It's against the code…"

Leia nodded sadly to the stone. "Denying who you are only leads to tragedy," she replied. "My parents, my brother, even myself. My son. My family lost everything because of that outdated nonsense. This is your chance, Rey. Do better than we did. Keep those you love close to you. They will help you find your way."

"Even cocky flyboys?" Rey asked with a grin.

Leia smiled back, her eyes shining. _"Especially_ the cocky flyboys."

Rey glanced back down at the stone; when she looked up Leia was gone. Her heart felt lighter, like there was a weight she hadn't realized she'd been carrying on her shoulders. Leia was the closest thing to a real mother Rey had ever known; it meant a lot to her to have Leia's approval.

Rey knelt once more in front of Padme's grave. "Thank you," she whispered. "I promise we will do things right this time. No one will suffer as you did." She traced Padme's name with her finger, then she reached into her knapsack. She extracted a small pouch; it was filled with some pieces of Anakin's lightsaber left over from when she reconstructed it. It was all she had of the man Padme had loved. "Rest in peace, both of you."

* * *

"You have to quit pacing."

Poe glared at his friend, not once stopping his circuit around the room. "How hard can it be to find one grave?"

"You heard the Queen. The crypts are huge. She'll be back." Finn crossed his arms over his chest, trying to hide his amusement. Poe had it _bad_. He'd known that for a while, but this was his first time seeing it up close. Poe was a bit of a restless soul, but these days, Rey calmed and centered him. They still bickered, but there was a softness to it that had been missing before.

"Why didn't she want us to go with her?" Poe said, almost to himself. Poe knew better than anyone that Rey could handle herself, but he still felt the urge to be with her. Even before they were a couple, he felt on edge when she wasn't there.

He had a bad feeling. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but he knew it was there. Naboo was safe, the former stormtroopers were doing well, the temporary ruling council would arrive in a few days. Everything seemed to be going their way. But he didn't trust it.

Finn leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Jedi stuff?"

"Amidala wasn't a Jedi."

"No, but maybe Rey had a feeling. Don't you two read each other's minds now?"

"What? No! That's not how it works." Poe sighed, ran his fingers through his hair. "Sorry, Finn. I'm not upset with you. Or with her. I'm not even upset. I've just got this feeling I can't shake."

"Trouble?"

"I don't know. Maybe? Does this feel a little too _easy_ to you?"

"If you call negotiating with Curke easy."

"But that's just want I mean. One visit to the wreck and he's suddenly fine with the stormtroopers? Smells fishy to me." A couple of days after their visit to Palpatine's homestead, a group of Naboo officials—including the Queen—went out to visit the wreck of the Star Destroyer that crashed after Exegol. A squad of troopers—led by Jannah—were helping the Naboo dismantle the hulk. The mission was to salvage what they could and destroy anything that resembled planet killing tech. Jannah was also looking for more information about the stolen children.

"Maybe he had a change of heart." Finn didn't really believe that, but he was trying to be hopeful.

Poe sighed. "Or he's just biding his time, not wanting to appear too stubborn in front of the Queen." This was why he hated politics. Too much intrigue and backstabbing. Give him a straight on fight any day.

"She's never struck me as easily manipulated," Finn countered.

"What tells you that? Your vast experience with women?" Poe cringed. "Sorry. I didn't mean that." He finally stopped his circuit of the room and dropped into the chair next to his friend. He was so antsy; he was taking it out on Finn. That wasn't fair. "You've been here longer, seen more. I trust your judgment, Finn."

"I really hope Rey gets back soon," Finn joked. "I don't know how she puts with you, Dameron."

Though his friend's words held no bite, Poe still nodded in agreement. "I often wonder the same thing. Then I wonder if I'm holding her back."

Finn frowned. "No offense, Poe, but that's stupid. You know as well as I do that Rey is a force of nature. She doesn't do anything she doesn't want to do."

"I know. I know that." It was one of the things that made him fall for her in the first place. "We finally talked about kids the other day."

Finn's eyes widened. "Poe, that's…wow."

Poe chuckled. "Yeah. It was an accident; I never meant to bring it up this soon, but you know how she is."

Finn smiled knowingly. "So, what happened?"

"We, uh, decided not to decide? I mean, we're still cleaning up the First Order; she's just starting out as a Jedi. Honestly? I'm fine with whatever she wants. All I want is her." When he thought about the future, he didn't see them settling down in the most traditional sense. Sure, he wanted to build them a home—a real home—on Yavin. But they both had trouble sitting still for too long. He certainly didn't see himself as a farmer.

"What does she want?"

"She's not sure, and I don't blame her. Everything we've seen? It's a lot. Besides, I'd like to enjoy some quality time with my wife before jumping off that particular bridge."

"Wife? You're that sure, huh?" Finn knew how much Shara's memory meant to his friend. Her ring never left his neck. He wasn't surprised necessarily, but so soon?

Poe nodded. "Don't you dare tell her, Finn. One day I'd like it to be a surprise."

"Okay, okay. My lips are sealed." He looked at Poe thoughtfully. "But I don't think you should wait too long, Poe. We've both lost enough people to know that life's short."

Poe knew Finn was right, but he waited to wait for the right time. "Speaking of which, have you talked to Jannah lately?"

"This morning, why?"

Poe arched a brow. "I'm not talking about work, Finn, and you know it."

Finn glanced toward the ceiling in exasperation. "No, but I will when we get back to the base. I've already had this conversation with Rey. Don't you start too."

Poe smiled. They both just wanted their friend to be happy, as happy as they were. "Alright, alright. I'll lay off, but for the record, I think you would be good for each other."

"I take it back, please go back to pacing." The two friends laughed. They were still laughing when Rey returned.

"What's so funny?"

"Rey!" Poe jumped up and greeted her with a hug. He felt the difference the moment she was in his arms; his entire being _relaxed._ His bad feeling was the furthest thing from his mind as he kissed her cheek. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Rey kept her arm around his waist. "Yeah, I think I did." She wanted to tell him about Leia, but it could wait until they were alone. "You boys didn't get into any trouble while I was gone?"

"Aside from Poe trying to wear a track into the floor, no," Finn said, standing. Rey quirked a brow at her boyfriend, but he looked away. "I think I'll head out to the wreck, see how things are going."

"Finn, you don't have to…"

Their friend just grinned. "Make sure you call me the next he needs to be babysat, Rey. It's hilarious!" Finn hugged her quickly, then he was gone.

"He was not _babysitting _me," Poe groused.

Rey giggled, which earned her a glare. "Sorry. But why were you wearing a track in the floor? I wasn't gone that long."

"Finn exaggerates."

Rey's gaze softened; she slid her hands behind his neck to toy with the curls at the base. A low growl caught in his throat; he definitely liked that. "You seem tense."

"I'm not, or rather, I wasn't," he lied.

Rey knew he wasn't telling her truth, but she didn't press him. He'd tell her, sooner or later. He'd gone above and beyond for her the last few days; she wanted to do something nice for him. Fortunately, she had friends in high places. "I can think of something that would help."

Poe's eyes sparked with mischief as he grabbed her hips and pulled her close. He backed them up until his legs hit the desk, then he slanted his mouth over hers. "Hmm, I can think of something too."

Caught off guard, she kissed him back, sighing as his tongue slid against hers. Instinctively, she leaned closer, drawn to him like a magnet. The last few days had been exhausting, each of them focused on their mission after that blissful afternoon by the waterfall. She'd been privy to only a fraction of the meetings he'd been forced to endure; she spent a lot of time investigating the potential Force sensitive people Finn had spoken about. Yet, no matter how hectic things were, he sought her out, checking in to make sure she was alright in the aftermath visiting her birth family's home, as well as to lift his own spirits. But those times were brief, only a few minutes, and she missed him.

Poe relished the feel of her pressed against him; he couldn't deny it, the more he had, the more he wanted. He checked briefly to make sure the door was firmly closed before he slid his hands under her thighs and wrapped them around his waist. Rey yelped as he carried her to the settee against the wall. He wrapped one foot around one of the legs and yanked it away from the wall to give them some room before lowering her against it.

"This wasn't what I had in mind," she breathed as his kissed the length of her throat.

"Are you complaining?" he asked, biting back a groan as her legs tightened around his waist.

She had a plan; she'd gotten special permission from the Queen, but she supposed it could wait. "Nope." She drew his mouth back to hers, kissing him deeply. Already, she could feel him growing hard between her legs, even through the layers that separated them. "Missed me?"

Poe wasn't the least bit sorry. "Kriff yes." He rolled his hips into hers, earning a low moan. "Too many clothes, Sunshine."

She nodded. "Yes, far too many." She moved first, unclipping her belt. The leather fell away; Poe yanked it out from under her hastily. "Impatient, flyboy?"

He'd be lying if he hadn't fantasized once or twice about having her in this office he'd been given. So yeah, he was a bit impatient. "You say that like it's a bad thing," he murmured, tugging on the material of her wrap. He'd gotten good at undressing her over the last few weeks; it was almost like unwrapping a gift. He distracted her with another kiss as they sat up, giving him room to unwind the fabric from her body. The kiss broke long enough for him to get the hood over her head, then he tossed it aside.

Once she was free of the flimsy fabric, Rey dripped her hands into the open collar of his shirt. She swore he wore these shirts to drive her crazy. She scratched lightly at the exposed tan skin of his neck and chest, almost like she was marking him. Poe was very attractive; he'd caught the eye of more than one person since their arrival. She trusted him, knew he loved her, but the instinct to show everyone that he was _hers_ was there all the same. Poe didn't seem to mind, allowing her to explore. This particular shirt had a couple of clasps along his side; she popped them open easily, finally exposing his chest to his hungry gaze.

Poe shivered as she touched him. "Like what you see?"

"Mmhmm." She leaned in and placed a kiss right over his pounding heart. Poe shrugged out of the shirt, allowing it to drop to the floor. Rey grabbed the back of his neck and tugged him back to her, fusing their mouths together once more. Her tunic was next; Rey leaned back, wetting her lips as Poe unwound her breast band from her body. She loved his rough skin against hers, especially when he teased her. He didn't disappoint, tracing her areola with a fingertip until she was squirming.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured, ducking down to take one taut nipple into his mouth. Rey keened, arching into him. She grabbed the edge of the settee for balance as he laved and sucked, sending sparks of arousal to her core. She was sure her underwear were soaked through; she couldn't stop herself from trying to grind against the considerable bulge in his pants.

"Poe, please," she whined, need coiling sharp and hot in her belly.

She was far more comfortable with their intimacy every day; he liked it. He gave her a bit of what she wanted, rocking against her core. Rey moaned, clutching at his shoulders. "Is that what you want, sweetheart?"

"Please," she panted.

"You'll just have to be patient," he countered, easing away from her. Rey snarled in frustration, but she still helped him get her boots and leggings off. She squeezed her legs together, trying to relieve the ache in her core, but Poe rested his hands on her knees and pushed them apart. "Ah, ah. I'm not done with you."

She laid there, practically vibrating with need as he stood. She swallowed heavily as he methodically removed his boots, socks and pants. His briefs left little to the imagination; her fingers itched to stroke his thick erection. Poe smirked as she watched him strip; judging by her shallow breathing and dilated eyes, she liked it. A lot.

"Good girl," he whispered as he knelt at the end of the settee. He tugged her down a bit so he could taste her. Her sex was already swollen and slick; her arousal was intoxicating. He placed a chaste kiss to her inner thigh as he spread her legs wider. Rey's breathing hitched in anticipation; her eyes fell shut. "No, keep them open for me, Sunshine."

Rey obeyed, her cheeks heating. There was no reason for her to be shy, but he'd never asked that of her before. The chair arched at the perfect angle so she could watch him as he devoured her. Poe started slow, licking a single stripe along her slit. He kept his eyes on hers, the brown nearly swallowed by black. Rey gasped, nearly arching off the settee as his clever tongue swirled around her clit. "Oh gods."

Poe found her hand, locking their fingers together as he continued to taste her. Her heels dug into his back as he worked her over, devouring her like she was his favorite treat. He focused on her entrance, teasing her with his fingers and his tongue. He knew a lot of ways to make her shudder and moan, but he was always seeking others. He wanted to know everything about her.

Rey struggled to keep her eyes open as he'd asked; she was hot all over, her body tingling with impending climax. That, she realized belatedly, was the _point_; he wanted her to watch him as he made her fall over the edge. It was one of the most erotic things they'd done together so far; she wanted to please him. Rey sank her free hand into his curls, holding him against her. "Close," she breathed. "Gods, I'm so close, Poe."

Poe pressed two long digits into her, curling them just right. "Let go for me, Rey. I've got you."

He lowered his head, taking her clit between his lips. Rey's mouth opened in a silent cry as she shattered, her thighs clamping around her lover's head. Poe didn't stop, tonguing her clit until she stopped shaking. Rey collapsed against the settee, her breath coming in harsh pants.

Poe rolled back on his haunches as he watched her catch her breath. He licked his fingers clean, savoring her taste. No one else would ever seen his Jedi come undone like this; no one would ever enjoy her taste or feel her pleasure.

Kriff, he was a lucky bastard.

Rey drifted, her high fading. She felt soft lips on her belly, slowly moving higher and higher. The warm familiar weight of Poe's ring glided over her skin, settling in the valley of her breasts as those lips found hers. They kissed lazily, Rey tasting herself on her lover's tongue. She held him close, enjoying his weight pressing her into the cushion.

"Rey," he murmured, his hips settling in the cradle of her thighs. "My Rey."

She felt him between her legs, like velvet covered steel. "Poe…please," she whined.

"Soon, sweetheart." He wrapped his arms around her middle to hold her against him as he switched their position. He reclined against the curved chair with his lover in his lap. "Hmm, that's better."

Rey curled her fingers around his chain, using it to anchor her as she leaned over to kiss him. Their mouths dueled in a hot wet slide as she ground against him, fresh arousal shooting through her as his cock rubbed against her swollen clit. "Need you," she whimpered. "Kriff, I need you inside me."

Poe groaned loudly. "Go ahead. I'm all yours." Rey sat up; Poe helped her line things up. They both cursed as she took him in, her body stretching to accommodate his girth. Rey's eyes slipped closed as she reveled in the sensation of being filled; he fit perfectly inside her. He was deep, easing the ache she'd felt since he kissed her. She rolled her hips slowly, not eager for this to end quickly.

Poe watched her as she braced her hands on his chest; drinking in her little sighs and moans as she rode him. His chest ached; she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She was utterly enchanting as she took her pleasure from his body. "That's it," he whispered. "That's my girl."

Rey opened her eyes, locking them with his. Eyes filled with heat, desire, and most of all, love. She bent over him, her hips never slowing as she kissed him. "Feels so good," she breathed.

"I know." He slipped his hand between them, his fingers seeking her clit. Her hips stuttered as he found it. "Don't stop, sweetheart. Wanna feel you come."

Rey heeded him, her hips moving harder and faster, chasing her high. She could feel him growing harder inside her, a sign of his impending climax. Hers hit first, her walls contracting around him tightly as she screamed into his shoulder. Poe circled her clit, drawing it out as he grit his teeth. He nearly lost control, but he wasn't ready for that. Before he gave in to her warm willing body, he gently lifted her off his lap.

"Poe?"

He kissed her temple. "I'm not quite done with you, Sunshine. Trust me?"

She nodded. Her legs were still wobbly as he turned her around, so she faced away from him. He eased her back into his lap, resting her thighs over his. Rey mewled as his cock slid back inside her; she was still sensitive from her first two orgasms. Poe liked to do this more and more, test her limits, find new ways to bring her pleasure. She certainly wasn't going to complain.

Poe leaned back against the chair, bringing her with him. Rey moaned as he started to move, gently rocking his hips into her. The angle was new though not deep, but it still allowed him to stroke her most sensitive spot. Rey fumbled for his hand, clutching at it as he took her. "Good?"

"Yes," she panted. "Don't stop."

He couldn't have if he wanted to. His own orgasm coiled at the base of his spine; he wasn't sure how long he would last like this. He found her other hand, sliding it down to where they were joined. He encouraged her to touch herself, something she was still getting used to. She'd done it before, but she'd always been alone. Poe didn't seem put off by that at all. While she circled her clit, Poe rolled one of her nipples between his fingers. He was determined to make her come one more time. "Close," he bit out. "Kriff, I'm so close."

"Do it. Please!"

Poe braced his feet on the cold tile, thrusting harder. They climaxed at nearly the same moment, his cock bathing her walls in his seed. His triggered hers, her walls clenching around him, milking him dry. She held tightly to his hand, her need finally sated. She could feel his heart pounding against her back; her own still roared in her ears.

Poe held her, his lips brushing her shoulder. "Love you," he whispered. There were times all this still felt like a dream; if it was, then he never wanted to wake up. This was perfect.

She heard him, but she was too blissed out to respond. She started to curl up on her side, but Poe stopped her. He maneuvered them so they could lay side by side on the couch. They fit, but just barely. "Still with me?"

Rey nodded. "Mmhmm."

"Good girl." He kissed her damp forehead. "I'm gonna find something to get us cleaned up a little, okay? Be right back."

Rey smiled to herself as he padded naked through the space; she savored the opportunity to simply admire him. She didn't get to do that enough, in her opinion. His body was toned, possessing more strength than one would expect for a man his height. After all, her lover wasn't _just_ pilot; he was a soldier too. She'd seen him in action more than once; he could hold his own. She lost her train of thought as he bent over; she swallowed heavily. It wasn't the first time she'd gotten distracted by his backside; it wouldn't be the last either. She especially loved the way the globes fit in her hands when he took her hard and fast.

Poe stood, a mostly clean handkerchief in his hand. He felt her staring, but he wasn't self-conscious about it. How could he when she looked at him like _that?_ "Best I could do, Sunshine, but I think we'll be alright."

Rey flushed; she knew he'd caught her staring. "Took you long enough, flyboy," she said, trying to sound flippant.

"I don't think you're complaining," he replied, smirking down at her. He knelt by the settee and handed her the cloth. She used the cleanest section to wipe away the evidence of their tryst and handed it back to him. Poe wrapped it up tightly before laying it on the desk. He'd get it taken care of later. "Cold?"

"Maybe a little."

Poe found his shirt in the pile of clothes and helped her slide into it. He grinned. "Looks much better on you."

Rey rolled her eyes. "What about you?"

"I'm good." He stretched out beside her and pulled her close. "See? I've got you to keep me warm."

Rey giggled. "So cheesy, General."

"Maybe you just bring it out in me."

She leaned up and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. "I'm not taking responsibility for you being a hopeless flirt."

Poe feigned offense. "I only flirt with _you_."

"You better."

He knew she was teasing him, but he still liked the faint possessive edge to her tone. He didn't mind that in the slightest. They had nowhere to be; the situation on Naboo was stable until the Council arrived. He wondered if he'd imagined that bad feeling from earlier; holding Rey now, he was content. But she always had that affect on him. Even before they were together, her presence brought him peace. No matter how sticky the situation was, they could get out of it together.

"Credit for your thoughts?"

Poe shrugged. "It's nothing. Thinking about you, actually."

Her cheeks glowed pink. "You do that a lot?"

"I can't ponder how incredibly amazing my girlfriend is?"

"That's not what I meant. You seemed off earlier, when I came back. Now you're not."

"Well, you did promise to ease the tension, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes. "I really did have something else in mind, but someone distracted me."

"I think we did a pretty good job."

"Then I'll just tell the Queen we don't need to go flying."

Poe started to say something, then he promptly shut his mouth. "Wait, what did you say?"

"Remember you said you wanted to fly one of those Naboo fighters? I asked the Queen for a favor."

Poe's grin threatened to split his face. "Rey, that's _amazing!_ You did that for me?"

She nodded. "You've been there for me the last few days; I wanted to do something nice. And I _know _how much you've missed flying." Poe was the best pilot she knew; he belonged in a cockpit. Their passion for flying was one of the things that bonded them. She loved it as much as he did.

Poe kissed her fervently. "You didn't have to, Sunshine, but _thank you_."

"I just hope we've still got time. I didn't anticipate you seducing me in your office, flyboy."

Poe was unapologetic. "We should christen my office back on the base too. You know, just for fun."

"You're incorrigible."

"And you, Sunshine, love it."

Being with Poe was certainly the kind of adventure she'd never expected to have. She hoped it never stopped being an adventure. "Before we go though, there is something I need to tell you."

"That sounds ominous."

Rey ran her fingers along his jaw. "No, nothing like that." She smiled hopefully. "I saw Leia down in the crypts."

She'd explained the idea of Force ghosts or spirits or whatever before, but it still was hard to believe. "Was this a good meeting or a bad one?"

"Good. Definitely good." She smiled. "She said she's really happy for us. You know, that we're together."

Poe let out a relieved breath. He knew Leia's approval meant a lot to Rey. "She say anything else?"

"She said that she left the Resistance in good hands."

Poe stared at her for a long moment, struggling to process that. He doubted himself again and again when it came to his role as a general; he'd only made it this far with Rey and Finn's unwavering support. He wanted to make them proud, Leia, Shara, Kes. "Thank you, Sunshine."

Rey hugged him tightly. "I'm proud of you too, Poe," she whispered. "I love you."

Poe buried his nose in her hair, his throat suddenly tight. He _felt_ her love for him, almost like it was a living breathing thing. He thought about what Finn had said about waiting. Life _was_ short. He knew that better than most. What _was_ he waiting for? Peace? Some perfect moment? Those didn't exist, though this moment came pretty close. He knew in his soul that Rey was the person he wanted to spend his life with. She was the person he'd waited his whole life for. She was the person meant to have Shara's ring.

He almost said it, right then. _Marry me._ He stopped himself. He didn't want to ask her like this, not in some dingy office. Ideally, he'd wanted to ask her on Yavin, but they had no idea how long it would be until they could get back. No, if he didn't want to wait weeks or months or, godsforbid, years, then he'd need a new plan.

* * *

"Thank you again, Your Highness," Poe said, holding his helmet under his arm. "No offense, but I was starting to get a bit stir crazy."

The Queen of Naboo smiled. "Completely understandable, General. This fighter isn't exactly like the one your mother flew, but it's very close. You're sure you can handle it?"

"I can fly anything." X-wing, A-wing, TIE fighter, the Falcon or a dozen other ships. If it rose off the ground, he could fly it. He loved the challenge of it.

"The question is will it come back in one piece," Rey commented, a wry smile on her lips.

"Do you crash often, General Dameron?"

"I prefer to call them chaotic landings, Your Highness."

Rey stifled a giggle. Poe was arrogant when it came to flying, but for good reason. He _was_ a very talented pilot. How much of that was him unwittingly tapping into the Force? She had no idea, but she had a feeling that he'd be a great pilot even without it. It was in his blood.

"That's one word for it," Rey muttered under her breath.

Poe snatched her elbow as they walked to their respective ships. "Shall we make things interesting, sweetheart?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"They have a training course near the mountains. Wanna give it a try?"

"Maybe. Let's see what happens after we get in the air, flyboy." She shot him a playful smile, then she headed for her own ship. The only other fighter she'd flown was Red 5; this ship was much more advanced. Still, if Poe could do it, then so could she. A well-meaning mechanic helped her with the ignition sequence—or tried to. She was flipping switches faster than he could talk. The man quickly climbed down the ladder, so he wasn't caught when the engines lit.

Naboo fighters were sleek and shiny, painted gold. They were among some of the most advanced ships in the galaxy. Poe had BB-8 with him in his fighter; Rey was only a little jealous. She would have liked to have Artoo, but it was back on Ajan Kloss. She'd had to settle for another astromech.

The two fighters took off; Poe led them out of the hangar. Rey couldn't stop smiling; she _loved _this part. Those first few moments after take off were her favorite; the knowledge that there was nothing aside from the humming engine and your own skill between you and the ground was heady. It was the thing that shocked her the most when she and Finn stole the Falcon. That feeling couldn't be replicated in a simulator.

She pulled up beside Poe; he waved. She waved back; she could feel how happy he was. His familiar helmet, the orange flight suit…on Jakku she'd made a doll from scraps, an Alliance pilot. And it was a pilot who changed her life forever.

Almost like the Force brought them together on purpose.

She didn't have time to examine that too closely, because Poe wasn't waiting for her. They rose over the city of Theed, people and buildings getting smaller and smaller. In moments, they were over one of Naboo's vast oceans, crystal clear water below them.

"Flies like a dream," Poe's voice crackled over the comm. "You good, Sunshine?"

"I'm fine. How's Beebee-Ate?" The droid didn't even let Poe answer; he cut in, the binary rapid and excited. Rey laughed. "Try to keep him out of trouble, okay, Beebee? I'd like him in one piece."

"You sound like you don't trust me, Sunshine."

"I trust you, Poe. I just don't want to explain another of your 'chaotic landings' to the Queen."

"When was the last time I crashed?"

"You set the Falcon on fire!"

"That's not a crash!"

"Your glider crashed into a tree."

"That wasn't my fault!"

"Chewie said you ran into a cave wall?"

"We got back, didn't we?"

"Yeah, with my ship _on fire."_

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Probably not." She laughed; they would be old and retired on Yavin and she would probably still bring up that time he set the Falcon on fire. Old and retired. She recalled the vision Poe had showed her, of them older. She was excited for all the time they would have together. For so long, her life was one of survival. Now, she could simply _live._

Poe banked to the south; Rey hurried to follow him. The coast was to her right, a dusting along the horizon. Out the canopy, she could spot the tops of some mountains. She had to lower the visor on her canopy; the sun glinted off the golden fighters. Ahead of her, Poe was quiet on the comm. She was about to ask him if something was wrong when he flipped the fighter into a barrel role. His whoop of joy came through loud and clear.

Poe straightened out the ship, his eyes scanning his heading. It would take another fifteen minutes to get to the training range; he wasn't in any hurry. They had plenty of fuel and time. It felt _right_ being back in a cockpit. Many of the switches and toggles were in unfamiliar places, but he figured it out quickly enough. He'd always had a knack for it, but his time on Kijimi honed his skills. Things moved fast; one had to be ready for anything. He flew anything he could get his hands on, just in case they found themselves in a tight spot. He wasn't proud of it, but it had given him skills that others didn't have.

He did a few more maneuvers, just to get a feel for the ship. Every ship was different; smart pilots knew that. "Not much for you to do back there, sorry, buddy," Poe said to his droid. "She's been well maintained; I'll give them that." He took a moment to study the cockpit; his mother had flown a ship like this. His earliest memory was sitting in her lap in her old A-wing, his tiny hands on the controls. It had been gifted to her when she mustered out of the Alliance; she used it as part of the Yavin civilian defense force. He could still see the vastness of space ahead of him with his mother's sure hands covering his.

"Thanks, Mama," he whispered softly. If she hadn't given him a love of flying, he might have never left Yavin. He would never have joined the Resistance. He would never have met the love of his life either. "I miss you."

"Poe?" Rey asked over the comm. "You okay?"

"I'm great. Just thinking."

"Do you still want to do the training course?"

"I never back down from a challenge, sweetheart. What does the winner get?"

"You came up with this game. You decide."

"I don't think you want me deciding," he chuckled.

Rey rolled her eyes. "Fine, we'll figure that out later." The mountains were much closer now; she could see the small civil defense base near the coast. One of the controllers hailed them; Poe asked for permission to do a couple of runs on the course. The controller couldn't believe his ears; Poe had to repeat himself. Twice. _He must be young_, Poe thought.

"Be nice," Rey scolded.

"I'm always nice, Sunshine." Finally, they got permission. "Do you want a trial run, or do you just want to dive in?"

"Are you taking a trial run?"

"Don't need one."

"Sure, you don't." This was Poe Dameron, hot shot pilot. This Poe used to drive her crazy; now she knew why. That arrogant confidence was very attractive when she knew he could back it up.

They couldn't use a traditional formation since there were only two of them, but Poe thought they could make it work. He only knew about this place from the pilots he'd spoken with; they were very forthcoming if a little bit in awe of him. He wasn't used to that. Rey had been right; people did think he was famous.

"Don't feel like you need to do anything crazy," he said over the comm. "This is just a friendly wager."

"Me do anything crazy?" Rey shot back. "Which one of us lightspeed skipped across half the galaxy?" She teased him about it, but she was also very intrigued by how he'd done it. She'd read about it, but never tried it herself. It was supposed to be nearly impossible. Yet Poe had done it successfully.

"How about I teach you how to do it some time?"

"Poe!"

She was going to get really upset with him if he didn't zip it. "Okay. Pilot with the best score at the end the run wins, agreed?"

"Fine."

The course started tamely enough. There were a couple of batteries on the ground which shot at them as they passed. Both fighters weaved and dodged the dummy ion shots. There were ten batteries; Rey took out four, Poe got five. The mountain loomed above them, but the course was laid out in the rough valley between it and its slightly smaller twin. Rey hadn't seen many mountains like this in her life, but she didn't get the chance to enjoy it. After a moment or two, drones slid into her scope. There were at least two dozen! This course was designed for a full squadron, not two fighters. There were too many!

Poe calmly took out three in quick succession; Rey narrowed her eyes at him as he flew above her. _Show off._ She'd done battle with TIE fighters; she could handle this! She kept Poe in her sights as they maneuvered through the terrain, shooting down drones (figuratively speaking, since this was all a simulation) and yelled trash talk at each other. Rey couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much _fun._ She wasn't even keeping track of her score; it didn't matter.

No matter what the winner got, she knew they would _both _be winners.

BB-8 suddenly started beeping frantically. "What is it, buddy? Kinda got my hands full here!" Poe was having the time of his life; it had been a long time since he'd _pretended_ someone was shooting at him. Usually, it was all too real.

The droid beeped again, pulling some specs up on Poe's display. He dodged another tree, then he looked down. "Bee, that can't be right. Check again." The readout showed that one of the drone trailing Rey was _live_. That couldn't be right. It made no sense. When the display didn't change, he cursed. "Rey, we've got a problem."

"What?"

"According to Bee's scans, one of those drones on your tail is live."

"What?"

"Bee's checked it twice. What are you getting?"

Rey's astromech pulled up the same display. The drone on her starboard side was blinking red. "Kriff," she swore. "We don't have any actual weapons on these, do we?"

The weapons were deactivated for their little joyride, but there had to be a way to turn them back on. "Try re-routing the power. I'm going to try to draw it off."

"How?" she demanded. She took deep breaths, shoving down her panic. She was more worried about Poe than herself.

"This is what I do, Sunshine." He switched off the comm, reversed his thrust and pulled hard on the stick. The ship obeyed him, banking to the right and sliding under Rey. In a blink, he was behind her and on the tail of the drone. "Try to get me something, Bee. Anything will do." The Naboo would probably be irked that he destroyed one of their drones, but it was after Rey. It didn't even flinch as Poe inched closer, weaving and banking, trying to get its attention. Rey was ahead, trying to lose it, dodging as it shot at her. One shot clipped the left wing of her fighter; his heart jumped in his throat. He shoved the terror down; he needed to focus. It seemed to be laser focused on _her_, which was strange. It should have turned it attention to him by now. Maybe it was locked onto her transponder? He had a crazy idea and relayed it quickly to BB-8. "Rey, I need you to get as far ahead as you can, okay?"

"What are you going to do?"

"Just trust me. Everything going to be okay."

Rey wanted to argue, but another blast went off dangerously close to her. She did as he asked, hitting the throttle and pulling back on the yoke to force the fighter to rise. The air would be thinner up there; it should help her gain some speed.

Poe couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face; she was so clever! While she rose, he dived under the drone; he just hoped BB-8 could work his magic. Poe banked right around a narrow outcropping; a quick glance revealed the drone. It was trying to follow Rey, but it wasn't designed for high altitudes. Ice was already forming on its hull. Poe raced to follow it, sliding his fighter between the drone and Rey. Alarms blared as the drone locked on to _him_ this time; another shrill set of beeps from BB-8 announced that he (finally) had some weapons. He nearly stalled the engine as he swung around and blasted the drone out of the sky.

Rey saw the explosion below her; she was so high, it obscured her view of Poe. "Poe? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Sunshine," he replied, slightly out of breath. "I'm fine."

Rey sighed in relief. "What the kark just happened?"

"No idea. But we're gonna find out."

Poe had BB-8 note where the drone went down; they needed to retrieve it. That bad feeling he'd experienced? It was back. He didn't understand why, but something was off. Until they found out what it was, he wasn't prepared to trust anyone aside from his own people.

Rey found a clearing not far from the crash site for them to land. The moment her canopy popped open, she leaped from the fighter and dashed to Poe's. He met her at the foot of the ladder, falling back into it with the force of her hug. "I said I was fine," he murmured, holding her just as tightly.

"I know, I just…" She sighed. She'd kept her fear for his safety at bay until the moment she landed. Now it was crashing over her in waves. "I'm just glad we're both okay."

Poe kissed her temple; his feelings echoed hers. "Me too." He pulled back far enough to look her over; it was hard to tell anything in the bulky flight suit. "That was a bit more exciting than I anticipated."

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"I wasn't but now that you mention it…"

His smirk made her roll her eyes. "I don't understand what happened. Why would there be a live drone on a training course?"

"I don't know. We _are_ going to find out. Bee noted the coordinates from where the drone landed. We just have to get it and bring it back."

Normally, a crane would unload a droid from the socket; they had to improvise. And by improvise, Poe stood aside while Rey lifted his droid out of the socket with the Force. "You're gonna put mechanics out of business with that trick, Sunshine."

"I won't tell if you don't." It was warm in the valley; they stripped down to their jumpsuits, leaving the rest by the fighters. BB-8 locked onto the signal of the drone, leading the way into the forest.

"This wasn't how I wanted to spend the afternoon," Poe observed as they picked their way through rocks and underbrush. He was a little worried about BB-8; he wasn't built for this sort of terrain.

"How did you want to spend it?"

"Preferably some place quiet, secluded, with far less clothes." He winked at her as she blushed.

"So, another picnic?" She'd definitely enjoyed their last picnic by the waterfall.

"Maybe. I wish this planet had some hot springs. Remind me to take you the next time we go home."

"Home?"

"Sorry, I meant Yavin."

"No, I knew what you meant. I just never thought of a _place _as home before." Jakku certainly wasn't home. Neither was Ajan Kloss or any of the other places the Resistance stopped along the way. Poe was home.

"It's a lot different from Jakku."

"Jakku was never home." She must have had one, when she was very small. Her parents must have had one. Here on Naboo, perhaps? No, her parents were on the run from Palpatine long before she was born. It hurt her heart that she knew so little about them.

Poe caught up with her. "Actually, I did have a plan for this afternoon," he confessed. He realized it was presumptuous of him to have all this talk of home and the future without asking her the question that had been dogging him for weeks. These may not have been ideal circumstances, but their lives weren't ideal and likely wouldn't be for some time. Seeing her in danger (however slight) only drove home Finn's point. Life was short. Waiting only led to regrets; he didn't want to have any more of those.

Rey seemed to sense something had changed; his handsome face was serious but hopeful. She watched him take several steadying breaths; was he nervous? She had no idea what he could be nervous about. "Poe?"

He wet his lips; this was harder than he expected. There was still a dark corner of his mind that said he wasn't good enough for her, but he shoved that away. Being with him was _her _choice. He just wanted to make her happy. "I had it all planned out. Well, sort of. I'd only decided today. I mean, not _decided _because I've known for a while, but I've been waiting. Waiting for the right time. But there's never going to be a _right_ time, but I didn't want to rush you and…"

Rey put a finger to his lips. "You're rambling, flyboy."

Poe blushed. "Right. Sorry."

"I don't mind." She smiled, hoping that would encourage him. She was very curious. "It's kinda cute."

"Hey!"

"What?"

"You're not making this easy, Sunshine."

"You love me anyway."

Poe cupped her cheek. "I do. And I always will. Which is why I need to ask you something."

Her heart suddenly started racing; she stared at him with wide eyes as he reached into the neck of his flight suit and tugged the chain over his head. For a long second, his mother's ring swung before her; her throat tightened as tears welled in her eyes. "Poe?"

"I've held on to this since my mother died, Rey. I made a promise to myself, to only give it to the right person. I've known for a while now that it belongs to you." He unfolded her fingers and pressed the ring and chain into them. "Marry me."

Those last words were spoken so softly, so _hopefully_. The tears she'd been holding back started rolling down her cheeks. Ring clenched tightly in her hand, she threw her arms around him, happiness threatening to burst out of her.

Poe chuckled as he hugged her; she seemed happy. "That a yes?"

"Oh! Yes. _Yes_." Her lips found his in a soul searing kiss. "Yes!"

"I thought you were gonna leave me hanging, sweetheart," he teased. She laughed; he couldn't stop smiling knowing he would hear that laugh for the rest of his life. "Want some help with that?"

"What? Oh." She studied the chain in her hand. "This is her wedding right, right?" Poe nodded. "Can I wear it like this? Just for now," she assured him. "That way you can put here at our wedding." Wedding. She could hardly believe the word was coming out of her mouth, but it was real. She knew that Poe was the person she was meant to share her life with; she'd never been more certain of anything.

Poe smiled. "I like that." She handed the chain back to him; he placed it over her head. The ring settled against her chest, glinting in the sunlight. "Perfect."

She touched it; it was still warm from Poe's skin. "It's beautiful."

"I never imagined asking you like this."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long have you known?"

"Long enough. I kept telling myself to wait. To wait until you were ready. Or until we'd gotten rid of the First Order for good. Or a hundred other things. But none of that matters. Finn finally knocked some sense into me."

She smiled. "He did?"

"He said I was being stupid, and he was right. Hell, I almost asked you earlier today. It may be a while until we can settle down, but I want you to know that I'm in this for the long haul, Rey."

She almost started crying again, but she held it in. Everything she wanted was starting to fall into place. She leaned in and kissed him gently. "I would have said yes, no matter when you asked, Poe Dameron. I'm glad you didn't wait."

Poe held her close. "I'm glad I didn't either." The only thing that would make him happier would be actually making her his wife. Now, it wasn't a question of if, it was a question of when.

They held hands as they went to find their lost droid. BB-8 wasn't paying them the slightest bit of attention as he went looking for the rogue drone. Fortunately, his trail was easy enough to follow. "I think I'd like to get married on Yavin," Rey said thoughtfully.

"Yeah?" He'd marry her right then if she wanted.

"Don't you want Kes there?"

"He would probably kill us if he missed it," Poe mused.

"We wouldn't want that."

"I certainly hope not." He squeezed her hand. "I can't believe we're talking about this."

"Should we not be?"

"You remember that day on Yavin? When I told you I loved you?" She nodded. "That was only a few weeks ago, Rey. Feels longer, but…"

"Does that bother you?"

"I wouldn't have asked you if it bothered me, Sunshine. It's a lot to take in though. Don't you think?"

She considered that. "I don't know. I went from being no one to the last of the Jedi and the granddaughter of the most hated man in the galaxy." Poe opened his mouth to protest, but she kept going. "Everything I thought I knew was wrong. But every time I doubted myself you were there. You and Finn. You gave me a family and something to believe in, Poe. With you, I finally have a home. Why wouldn't I want that for the rest of my life?"

"I knew there was a reason I loved you." Part of him was still afraid that this couldn't last. Not because they didn't love each other, but because it could be taken away. His mother died young. Her parents had too. They'd been through so much; they carried a lot of ghosts. All the more reason to savor what they'd found in each other.

"Just one reason, huh?"

"I'm sure I could think of a few others." He tugged her closer, intent on kissing her, when BB-8 rolled up beeping urgently. "Did you find it, buddy?"

"Come on." They followed BB-8 the way he had come; in a few minutes, Rey spotted the smoke swirling out of the grass. She knelt down beside it, picking away stray leaves and twigs. She looked up; she could see where it crashed through the canopy above.

"Anything?"

She picked up one of the steaming pieces; some ice still clung to the metal. She flipped some of the switches, but nothing happened. "Looks fried. Its memory is probably still intact though. Beebee? A little help?" The droid opened one of his access panels and got to work.

"Something about this doesn't feel right," Poe said stubbornly. "It looked like it was targeting you specifically. Didn't even flinch when I went after it."

"Maybe that's how it's designed?"

Poe shook his head. "We had drones similar to this in the New Republic Navy. They're motion sensored. When I got behind it, I became a threat. It should have turned and come after me."

"You didn't have any weapons though."

Poe wanted to believe that had something to do with it, but his gut was telling him she'd been the target. It wasn't until he'd switched their transponders that the drone even recognized his presence. Why would anyone want to come after her? _She's the last Jedi._ _She's Palpatine's granddaughter._ Except the only people who knew the latter were him, Finn and Rose. Everyone else who knew was dead. They'd destroyed anything left that could possibly link her to Palpatine when they visited his home.

So, what was going on? It was possible that the drone simply malfunctioned. It happened. But if Rey died, then the Jedi died with her. There were definitely some parties out in the galaxy who would gladly see the Jedi gone for good. Poe didn't care about Jedi or Sith or any of that. He cared about Rey. They needed to figure this out, quickly. He wasn't losing her.

Rey felt his worry and unease. He'd been so happy a few moments ago; it wasn't fair. They'd both seen enough heartache and war and death. She wrapped her arms around his waist as BB-8 downloaded all the data he could find. They would need to take the drone back, analyze the data and find answers. The question was how much did they tell their hosts? The Queen had been nothing but supportive since they arrived. Rey liked her. More importantly, she trusted her. If this was an attempt on her life like Poe believed, then the Queen would take it seriously.

It was the people around her that Rey didn't fully trust.

"I knew something was wrong," Poe muttered. "I felt it. So much for being Force sensitive."

"Poe, having the Force doesn't mean you're all knowing. We don't even know if this is something to be worried about yet."

"Rey, that thing shot at you."

"And we dealt with it." She forced him to look at her. "I know you were scared. I was too. But we can't let our lives be controlled by fear." She lifted the chain around her neck. "Did you give this to me because you're afraid? Because if you did…"

"No. _No._ Rey, I've almost asked you to marry me a dozen times. Not because I'm afraid, but because I know it's what I want. Being with you…it's the happiest I've ever been. Yes, the thought of losing you terrifies me. But not sharing my life with you would be worse. You're the other half of my heart, Sunshine."

She knew if the drone had been shooting at _him_, she would have done the exact same thing. They were both fiercely protective of those they loved. She didn't want to change that. She closed the space between them and covered his mouth with hers. He pulled her flush against his body as she deepened the kiss; a soft moan caught in her throat. He kissed her breathless, then he leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised.

"Neither am I." Poe didn't care how long it took. They would have that future they wanted. He wasn't sure what gods he believed in, so he prayed to the only person he was sure would listen. _Watch over her, Mama._ _Please._


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note:** Fair warning: this will be the last update for a couple of weeks. I've headed out on a Disney cruise this weekend, yay! Hopefully, I'll be forgiven for the mild cliffhanger. Otherwise, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Chapter 9**

Finn was waiting when they returned to the capital. Rey had barely gotten to the bottom of the ladder when he rushed over and threw his arms around her. "Rey! Kriff, are you alright? They said there was some kind of malfunction!"

"I'm fine, Finn, really." They'd only reported the bare minimum over the comms, first to the civilian defense base, then to the capital. They didn't know who to trust and until they did, they decided to keep certain facts to themselves. It was nearly dark now; it had taken a while to load the pieces of the drone into their separate fighters, even with the Force.

"What happened?" Finn demanded, letting her go. "I thought it was just a training course."

"So did we," Poe said, squeezing Finn's shoulder and giving his friend a warning nod. Finn's brows shot up as his eyes darted from Poe back to Rey. What was that about? Poe wanted to confide in Finn, but there wasn't time; some Naboo officers were approaching.

"General Dameron! Master Skywalker!" It was one of the officers Poe had spoken to prior to their trip. "Are you both alright?"

Poe nodded. "Yeah, we're both fine. Can't say the same for your drone."

The man seemed apologetic rather than upset. "Please accept my apologies for whatever malfunction caused this," he said. "I'll have my best people on it. Did you bring it back?"

"We had to improvise, but yeah." The drone itself was little more than a steaming pile of metal; Poe knew the answers to what happened would be found in the data BB-8 carried in his memory. A crane was already lifting his faithful droid out of its socket.

"I'll let you know the moment we've found anything, General. You have my word." Poe frowned as the man left. Part of him wanted to trust that it really was just a simple malfunction, but he learned through hard experience to trust his gut.

"Come on, before anyone else tries to help," Poe whispered to his friends. He kept Rey's hand firmly in his as the trio hurried from the hangar. Poe spotted Curke out of the corner of his eye just as they turned a corner; no doubt he wanted to see with his own eyes that they were alive and well. _Well, let him wonder_, Poe thought.

Finn led the way. He wasn't sure what was going on, but Rey made the need for secrecy loud and clear through the Force. He'd been momentarily stunned to hear her voice in his head; he'd almost forgotten they could do that! They still hadn't figured out how it worked, but he wasn't about to argue. Someone or something had attacked the two people most dear to him in the galaxy and he did not take that lightly.

"No one will look for you here," he muttered as he entered the access code to his quarters. "At least not for a while." The moment the door hissed shut, he turned, hands on his hips. "Now what the kark happened out there?"

Poe relayed the story as succinctly as he could. While he talked, Rey sat on the floor to attend to BB-8. The droid was a bit worse for wear, with dirt, grass and pebbles stuck in some of his joints. She interjected when she felt it necessary; she could feel residual waves of worry coming off Poe. While the idea that someone could want her dead was sobering, she'd dealt with it before. Though before, she wasn't in a relationship. Being with Poe changed so many things.

When she went to Exegol, part of her almost expected to die. If her death meant that she could save her friends and free the galaxy from tyranny, then she was willing to make that sacrifice. She _had _made that sacrifice. By bringing her back, Ben had given her a second chance to _live._ He'd given her the chance to love and be loved in return. He gave her a future. She fingered the ring around her neck. Poe wanted to marry her. He wanted them to spend their lives together. She did too. Now someone or something could be trying to take that away.

This time, Rey wasn't giving up her life without a fight. She had too much to live for.

"Do you think it's possible it was just a malfunction?" Finn asked, worry etched on his face.

"Yeah, it's possible," Poe conceded. "But it doesn't feel like it to me."

"That bad feeling you had?"

Poe nodded again. "Until we know more, I'd like to keep this between us as much as possible."

"The Queen is going to want answers."

"We don't know if we can trust her."

Rey stood, brushing her hands off on her flight suit. "I have a good feeling about her, Poe. She seems to genuinely want to help her people."

"I think so too. But there are too many eyes and ears around her. It's too risky. Once we figure out what happened, we'll reconsider."

Rey wanted to argue, but she felt the exhaustion radiating from him. She was tired too. The adrenaline had long since worn off.

"What do you need me to do?" Finn asked.

Rey glanced down at BB-8. "The drone's memory is stored in Beebee-Ate. Find Chewie and have him download it to the Falcon. It's not connected to anything here, so it should be safe."

"Rose should take a look," Poe mused.

"Poe, I can…" There hadn't been time for her to review the data before they returned to the capital, nor did they have the equipment. If her life really was in danger, then they needed to find answers. She desperately wanted her hopeful and happy Poe back.

"It'll look suspicious of we're too close to this." Poe gently rubbed her shoulders. "We need our Jedi rested and alert," he said gently. "Let Rose do her thing, then you two can collaborate to your heart's content. I promise." There was no one better than Rey to review the data, but he was more worried about her emotional well-being. A rogue drone tried to kill her. She may not want to admit it, but he could sense her fraying around the edges; those tendrils of darkness in her aura that she was so afraid of would overwhelm her if she didn't take some time for herself.

"Poe's right," Finn added. "The Naboo want to make this look like an accident; it might be in our best interests right now to let them. The Council will be here tomorrow."

Rey had completely forgotten about that. As the galaxy's lone Jedi Knight, she would be expected to participate in any negotiations. She couldn't do that and conduct an investigation at the same time. As much as she hated it, she conceded. For now. "If you find anything…"

"I will let you know; I swear."

She smiled gratefully. "You're the best, Finn."

Finn noticed a subtle change in the way they looked at each other. They'd always been protective, but this was different. Poe wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple tenderly. Yep, something was different, but Finn couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then he spotted the chain around Rey's neck. "Well, I'll be karked! You actually took my advice for once! Congratulations!"

Rey and Poe looked at each other, both flushing and smiling. "Thanks, buddy," Poe said. The mood lightened immediately, with Finn wrapping them both in a tight hug.

"I'm so happy for you." He really was. Seeing them reach for the kind of life they wanted was inspiring. They were his best friends; why wouldn't he want them to be happy?

"Thanks, Finn," Rey murmured. She loved Poe more than anything, but Finn would always be her best friend. He was a part of her family.

"Can I tell Rose or is this a hush hush kinda thing?"

Rey chewed on her lip. They hadn't really talked about it, but why hide? They hadn't hidden their relationship at any point; she didn't see a reason to start now. It certainly was a forthright way of showing everyone that she was a new kind of Jedi. "It's not. You can tell her, Finn."

"In that case, we should tell my dad," Poe added. "I don't want him finding out via the holonet." The upcoming negotiations with the Council would be all over the holonet; he and Rey would most likely be front and center. The moment Kes spotted that chain around Rey's neck, he would know.

"That's a good idea. Is it too late to holo him?" She was oddly nervous about telling Kes. He'd only ever treated her like family, but she didn't want him to think she was trying to replace his beloved wife. Shara's memory was very dear to both Damerons; Rey wanted to respect that.

"How about we get cleaned up first?"

"I'll get Beebee-Ate to Chewie," Finn said. "He'll be glad to finally have something interesting to do." Since their arrival, Chewie worked with Jannah and the others out on the wreck; they hadn't seen much of their friend.

"Thanks, man," Poe said to Finn at the door. "We need to figure this out. Soon."

Finn glanced over Poe's shoulder at Rey. "We will. They'll be sorry they messed with us."

* * *

"Are you sure it's not too late?" Rey murmured as Poe switched on the holo.

"I don't think so. Papa's been stopping by the base every couple of days to bring them fresh koyo among other things. He likes to be useful."

"How is Karé?"

"She seemed better the last time I talked to her." He'd assigned his friend to the Yavin squadron primarily so that she could have a friendly face nearby if she ever wanted to talk. Kes knew all about the men and women his son served with; the sad fact was, Kes could understand what Karé was dealing with better than most.

"That's good."

"Let's see if we can find him." Poe adjusted the holo, waiting for his dad to respond.

It took a minute or so, but the image flickered to life. "Mijo? Rey? Is that you? It's so late!"

Poe took Rey's hand. "Yeah, Papa. Sorry it's late. We, uh, just had something we wanted to tell you."

"Hello, Kes," Rey added, smiling. The older Dameron reminded her so much of Poe; she missed him. He'd been so kind to her, a girl he'd just met.

"How's the mission?" Kes asked. "Karé said you'd left for Naboo."

"It's going well so far," Poe said, hoping the events of the last few hours didn't show too clearly on his face. He didn't want to worry his father. This was a happy time for them as a family. They talked a bit about their adventures so far; Rey silently stroked the back of Poe's hand with her thumb as he talked about finding the footage of Shara.

"That's…mijo, that's really something," Kes said, his voice trembling. "Your mother always said that was the mission she was proudest of."

"She never mentioned it to me."

"Well, there are some things mothers don't share with their children. Especially at six or seven, mijo."

"I have a new picture of her. The Queen gave me a copy. I'll bring it home for you."

"I couldn't take that, Poe. It's your gift. Besides, I've got plenty of mementos around here. You keep it. But I'd like to see it."

Poe wanted to ask about Leia's letter, but that was a conversation to have in person. "Actually, Papa, we have something else we wanted to tell you." He looked at Rey; her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. For a moment, his stomach dropped. Then he felt her nerves. Why would she be nervous? Poe ignored the holo and brushed his lips over her cheek. "Still with me?" he whispered in her ear.

Rey let out a breath hadn't realized she was holding. "Yeah."

"He already adores you," he reminded her. "He's going to be thrilled, I promise."

"Don't leave an old man in suspense, mijo," Kes scolded. He couldn't hear the whispered conversation between his son and Rey, but he wasn't a fool. He'd seen their relationship blossom with his own eyes; they were deeply committed to one another. It brought him joy to see his son so happy.

Poe turned to face the holo again. "I asked Rey to marry me, Papa."

Kes beamed. "I knew this day was coming. I'm so happy for you!"

Rey smiled, relief washing through her. "Thank you, Kes. That means a lot to me."

"Hija, you are already family," he assured her. "You were the moment you stepped off the Falcon."

Kriff, she didn't want to cry again, but she was just so happy. Leia, Kes, Poe, Finn, Rose, Chewie. All of these people had become her family. They cared about her happiness. And this was Poe's father, the man who'd raised him, who helped shape him into the man Rey loved so dearly. "We want to get married on Yavin, if that's okay."

"Of course, it's okay, hija. I think the meadow around the Force tree is a lovely spot."

"We're not sure when, Papa," Poe said cautiously. "But we wanted you to know first."

"Technically, second," Rey said. "Finn was first."

"Only because he figured it out." Poe wrapped his fingers gently around the chain his fiancé wore around her neck. "And you were fiddling with this," he reminded her with a smile.

Kes watched them playfully bicker with a bemused smile on his face. There was a wistful tug on his heart, seeing his wife's ring around the neck of his son's love. He was thrilled for them, truly, but the moment felt incomplete without Shara. He missed her so much, every day. Time might heal all wounds, but it also left scars.

"We'll try to stop by Yavin soon," Poe promised. "Then we can celebrate."

"I'd like that."

"We should let you rest," Rey said softly. "It's late."

Kes nodded. "I love you, mijo. And you, hija."

"We love you too, Papa. Good night." Poe switched off the holo and held Rey close. "Now why were you so nervous, Sunshine?"

She shrugged. "This is your mother's ring, Poe. I didn't want him to think I was replacing her."

"Oh sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "You can't replace anyone. You're _you._ My fierce beautiful Jedi. All I want is to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

She traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips, his scruff scratching her skin. "Someone tried to kill me today."

Poe nodded. "We're going to find out who, Rey. I promise."

She shook her head. "No, you don't understand." She stood, suddenly restless. "When I went to Exegol, I didn't expect to come back."

Poe wasn't sure he wanted to hear this. "Rey…"

"Either Palpatine was going to kill me or I would kill him," she continued. "I had to face my fear and end the Sith. I did, but…" She took a deep breath. "It cost me everything. And then I came back." She didn't mention Ben; she didn't have to. "I don't want to die, Poe." Her eyes locked with his, brown clashing with hazel. "At first, I didn't know what I wanted or who I wanted to be. I was searching for something, an anchor. Then you took me to Yavin." She smiled. "And I realized I had my anchor all along. I have so much more to lose now and it terrifies me."

Poe took her hands in his. "It terrifies me too, but a wise person once told me we can't live in fear."

"I guess we'll have to figure out how to do that."

"As long as we do it together, Sunshine." Poe slid his hands around her waist and pulled her close. She sighed as his lips descended on hers, the kiss sweet, a promise. While she was grateful, she needed something else from him tonight. Before he could pull away, she kissed him again, harder this time, her fingers sinking into his curls. Poe moaned softly, the gentle tugs on his hair sending sparks down his spine. "Rey?"

"Take me to bed." Poe scooped her up; this time, she made no protest. Instead, she ran kisses over his jaw and throat as he marched them to the bed. Rey landed on the sheets with a soft bounce; her breathing hitched as Poe crawled over her. Their lips met in a long, heated kiss, all the joy and stress of the day fueling their need for each other. Poe's shirt bunched in her questing fingers; he broke the kiss long enough for her to get it over his head. Rey arched as his mouth latched onto the spot just under her ear; a low moan escaped from her throat. Desire rolled through her, settling low in her belly. "Poe."

"I've got you," he whispered, soothing the mark he'd left with a kiss. "I'm right here."

She hitched one of her legs over his hip, trying to grind against him. He groaned; he could feel her heat through the thin layers that separated them. Instinctively, he thrust against her, which only served to tease them both. Rey's gasp of pleasure went straight to his cock, now straining in his pants. He didn't stop, kissing her deeply as he rocked against her. Her blunt nails dug into his shoulders as she writhed under him, chasing her climax. "Poe, kriff, right there," she panted, her heels digging into his lower back. "Close."

Poe desperately wanted to strip her and plunge his cock into her, but they had all night. He held her against him as she fell over the edge, a hoarse cry on her lips. She trembled in his arms as he rolled onto his back, his lover still atop him. Thankfully, she went still, save her harsh pants. He was close to coming himself, but he knew her well enough by now to know that she'd be ready for him soon.

Rey kept her eyes closed as she came down from her high. Poe's heart thumped heavily in her ear; it was quickly becoming her favorite sound. Eventually, she had to look at him; she surprised herself by blushing. "Hi."

"Hey yourself, Sunshine."

She leaned up and brushed her lips over his. One kiss became two, then three, then four. She felt his rough hands slide under her shirt, but she sat up instead. He arched a brow curiously, but he was willing to follow her lead. She settled on his thighs, her eyes on his as she tugged her tunic over her head. Since they had been planning to sleep after speaking to Kes, she wore nothing underneath it. Rey took one of his wrists in each of her hands and guided him to her chest. Poe swallowed heavily as he fondled her; she arched into his touch, biting her lip to keep from moaning. He rolled and plucked her nipples until they were stiff and aching, begging for his mouth. "Rey…"

She wet her lips, her eyes settling on the large bulge in his pants. Smiling wickedly, she reached for the waistband of his pants and tugged the fabric down. Poe groaned; the cool air of the room suddenly hit his heated flesh. She pressed her thumb along the firm ridge; he twitched at her touch. She took him into her hand, pumping slowly. Poe fisted the sheet, her touch setting his body on fire. He needed her so badly, but he wanted to see what she would do.

Her own leggings were soaked through now; watching his handsome face contort in pleasure was immensely satisfying. Abruptly, she released him and slithered off the bed. Poe whined in complaint, until he saw her reach for his pants. He raised his hips quickly, allowing her to strip them off and toss them aside. He reached for her, but she shook her head. This time it was his turn to watch _her_ strip; her nimble fingers peeled the leggings down over her hips, exposing her lithe form. Rey never failed to take his breath away. He could still see a faint shyness in her eyes, in the way she moved; it was adorable and sexy all at the same time.

"Come 'ere," he said, holding out his hand.

Rey kicked her leggings aside and clamored back into the bed. Poe caught her hand, threading their fingers as he kissed her thoroughly. She started to straddle him, but he stopped her. "Let me try something?"

Poe hadn't steered her wrong yet, so she conceded with a nod. That said, she wasn't prepared for what he asked of her. Curiosity and desire burned through her as she followed his instructions; the bed creaked a bit as she straddled his head. She felt his tongue on her almost instantly; a shudder rolled through her. _"Oh."_

Poe grinned to himself and wrapped his arms around her thighs. She was already very aroused; she was practically dripping onto his tongue. Her knees widened slightly as he toyed with her slit; she had to brace her hands on his chest. Poe's mouth devouring her sex always felt good, but this felt different, naughtier somehow. She was half afraid she'd smother him, but he was _very_ content to use his talented mouth on her. His scruff abraded her thighs deliciously; her eyes fell closed as she moaned loudly. They were in the residential part of the palace, but she couldn't keep quiet. Not when she felt this good.

Poe alternated between her clit and her leaking hole; he loved doing this for her. She gasped as his tongue pushed inside her sex; her nails dug into his stomach, making the muscles jump. "Kriff," she cursed. She sucked in much needed air; she was almost dizzy from pleasure. She was half bent over him now, her hips riding his face as much as his iron grip would allow. She whimpered his name as he took her to the edge, only to back off again and again. He seemed to enjoy her needy moans and whimpers, as well as the ways she took her frustration out on his body. His hips and stomach were littered with marks, fingertips, nails, mouth.

She tasted something salty on his skin; when she opened her eyes, his thick cock rested in front of her. The tip leaked copiously, leaving salty precum on his bronze skin. Her tongue darted out to lick it off; Poe jumped under her with a muffled curse. If he wanted to toy with her, then she could toy with him. She ran her tongue down the length of him; his cock twitched. She heard him curse again, so she kept going, licking and kissing his straining erection. Poe's fingers tightened on her thighs as she took him into her mouth; she'd have bruises in the morning, but it was worth it. She'd only done this a handful of times so far, but she was learning exactly what he liked. She swirled her tongue around the belled head, earning her a loud groan. It quickly became a duel, Poe's mouth hot on her swollen clit as she bobbed her head.

Poe was reeling, his mind trying desperately to catch up. He'd long since lost track of time; he was enjoying teasing her far too much. He never expected her to start sucking him off, but he wasn't going to complain. He didn't want to come like this, so he needed to win their impromptu contest. His lips and chin were covered in her essence; he adjusted his grip on her thighs so he could suck her clit into his mouth. Rey gasped, releasing him with a pop. Her body trembled and shook as she finally gave in to her orgasm. White hot pleasure burned through her; it was so intense she almost passed out from lack of air. It seemed to go on forever as her lover lapped at her sex.

She was still trembling when Poe gently eased her onto her back. He kissed her collar, her throat. "Kriff, I need you, sweetheart," he whispered. He kissed the shell of her ear, barely holding himself back. But he needed to know she wanted him. "Please."

She was drunk on pleasure, but she craved even more. "Yes," she panted. "Yes, Poe."

He didn't need to be told twice. Their loud moans filled the room as he took her in one deep stroke. He could feel her walls still fluttering from her orgasm; he groaned as she contracted around him. "Rey, gods." She dragged his mouth to hers, kissing him as he rode her into the mattress. It was almost frantic, the way he took her, but it felt amazing. He adjusted the angle of her hips, throwing her legs over his shoulders; Rey cried out. He bottomed out with every powerful drive of his hips; stars popped behind her eyes. She reached blindly for his hand, interlocking their fingers. Her other hand snaked between them, right where they were joined. They were both close; she wanted to fall with him.

"Hurry," Poe panted. "So close."

She circled her swollen nub furiously, on the edge of falling. Poe got there first, grunting her name as he stiffened inside her. She felt every throb and twitch of his cock; that sent her over the edge. She let go completely, his hand in hers the only anchor as she rode the wave of pleasure. Poe rocked into her until he was spent, wanting to savor every second.

He kept his forehead pressed to hers; their breaths mingled. Their hearts pounded almost in unison. Poe brushed kisses to her forehead, her cheekbones, her lips. Rey ran her hands down his spine, a smile tugging at her lips. "I think we've found something else you're good at, flyboy."

Poe chuckled. "I'm glad you think so." He kissed her again, then rolled onto his side. Rey moved with him, resting her head on his chest. "You okay?" A lot happened in the last few hours; they needed the release.

"I will be."

His finger circled the ring that lay on his chest. It felt a little odd, not wearing it himself. It had been a part of him for so long; it was a little surreal. And yet, he knew in his heart that the ring belonged to Rey. He'd waited a long time for her; the knowledge that someone was after her was infuriating. He didn't care what it took; he wasn't losing her. Not when they were so close to being truly happy.

"Are you okay?" Rey asked.

"Have you ever been happy and angry at the same time?"

She raised her head. "A few times actually."

"When?"

"When you and Finn insisted on coming with me to Pasaana."

"Oh. Right. But emphasis on the happy?"

She giggled. "I suppose. It was nice, knowing I wouldn't be alone."

"Well, that's how I feel right now." He brought her ring to his lips and kissed it. "I am overjoyed, Sunshine. I really am. But…"

She squeezed his hand. "I know." No one they knew got to be happy for long. Kes, Leia, Karé, Hera, even Anakin and Padme. It seemed impossible that fate could let them be happy when the galaxy was filled with so much sadness and death.

"I don't know what I would do if I lost you," he admitted softly.

She wanted to promise him that he would never lose her, but she knew that was impossible. Even if they got to share a long life together, one day he would lose her. She wasn't sure how the whole Force ghost thing worked, but Poe couldn't join her in the Force. Leia didn't have Han with her. He wasn't a Jedi. It was so unfair.

Poe felt something wet splash on his chest. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, no, you didn't do anything, Poe." She brushed away her tears and smiled. "I love you. No matter what our future holds, I need you to know that."

"Is it too much to ask for it to be long and happy?"

"I don't think that's too much. It sounds pretty perfect."

He tugged her down for a kiss. "You're going to be a beautiful bride, Sunshine. I can't wait."

She blushed. "Me too." They already belonged to each other, marrying him was simply icing on the cake. Somehow, she'd make sure it happened. No one was taking this from her.

* * *

Rey clipped her lightsaber to her belt, stifling a yawn. She rose early; Poe was still asleep. The Council wasn't due to arrive until the afternoon; she should have time to go over the data with Rose. At least, she hoped so. Rey padded over to Poe's side of the bed; she gently brushed a curl away from his forehead. He looked so peaceful, so boyishly handsome; her heart clenched. The ring he gave her rested under her tunic, close to her heart. Like him, it was precious; she would do everything in her power to keep them safe.

He stirred for a moment; she froze, waiting. When he stilled, she leaned down and kissed his brow. She'd left a note letting him know where she'd gone; she didn't want him to worry. But she needed all the time she could get.

Chewie was already waiting for her on the Falcon. Rey smiled as the Wookie hugged her tight; he growled dangerously about whoever it was that tried to harm her. "I'm okay, Chewie," she promised. "Did you get the data to Rose?" He nodded. "Well, let's see what we've got."

Chewie handed her a holopad; Rey accepted it gratefully. Together, they poured over the data, searching for clues. Some of it was corrupted, though whether it was intentional or not, she couldn't tell. Maybe Rose could? Reading through the drone's code was like reliving it all over again. Poe had been right; the drone had locked onto her transponder specifically. The moment she flew overhead, it launched, chasing her.

Rey shook her head, chasing away the memory. Someone input her transponder; it wasn't there by accident. She flipped back through the holopad, scanning for when the information had been added. Nearly all the maintenance logs were there, all but two. Those were corrupted. "Ugh."

"Something wrong?"

Her eyes snapped up. "Finn!" She rose from her perch and hugged him. "I didn't expect you."

"Thought I'd come help out. Where's Poe?"

"Still asleep. It was, uh, a late night." She turned away slightly, hoping Finn didn't see the heat on her face. She certainly didn't want to explain why they were up so late.

If Finn noticed, he was too nice to mention it. "Did you talk to Poe's dad?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He's really happy."

"Of course he is. You and Poe are great together. Though I am a bit jealous you've met his dad and I haven't."

Rey grinned. "I think we're going to stop by Yavin before going back to the base. You know, when this is over. You could come with us. I know Kes would love to meet you, Finn. And you could see the Force tree." The Force tree reminded her of Poe, of how he wanted to build their home near it, perhaps even a new Jedi temple. Kes was right; it would be a beautiful place for a wedding. A future she wanted so badly she could taste it. The same future someone was trying to take from her.

Finn felt her joy turn to a sort of pained wistfulness. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Finn simply arched a brow at her; she sighed. "I know the Force brought all of us together for reason, Finn. But what if it was just to win the war? What if we're not meant to be happy?"

"Rey, you're just scared. _Of course_, you deserve to be happy. We all do. This is the happiest I've ever seen you. You've never been one to give up. We're gonna figure this out. Both of you are too stubborn not to get the future you want." Finn glanced away, a bit sheepish. "In fact, I kinda need you to, because I have no idea what I'm doing."

Rey frowned. "What do you mean?"

"After I dropped Beebee-Ate off with Chewie, I went to find Jannah."

Rey's eyes widened. "Oh Finn! Is everything…good?" She usually didn't have trouble reading him, but his emotions were all over the place.

"She kissed me?"

Rey grinned. "I'm really happy for you, Finn."

Finn rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, well, after seeing you and Poe yesterday, I decided to take my own advice. No time like the present, right?"

Rey didn't know Jannah that well yet, but she was looking forward to spending more time with her. She suspected she would now if she was with Finn. "She's welcome to come to Yavin too." They couldn't all stay at the Dameron ranch, but the base wasn't far away. Besides, she didn't think they'd be there long. Their duties probably wouldn't allow it anyway.

Chewie brought some tea and food from the galley; Rey's stomach growled. She couldn't recall when she'd eaten last. As they ate, Rey explained to Chewie and Finn what she'd found so far; it seemed more and more likely that there was a saboteur. Someone tampered with the drone, but unless they could untangle the corrupted data, it would be hard to figure out who.

"Rose can probably find the information we need," Finn said thoughtfully. "She's good at that."

"I was about to holo her when you showed up. Is that…okay?" Finn hadn't mentioned Rose until now; Rey didn't want things to be awkward.

"It'll have to be," Finn replied. "This is too important." His gut twisted; while he was happy he'd spoken to Jannah, he hadn't spoken to Rose. He didn't think it was the kind of conversation that one had over the holo; he wanted to do it in person. His time on Naboo had clarified a lot of things; whatever feelings he'd had for Rose had cooled into friendship. Like Rey. He didn't know what kind of relationship he would have with Jannah, but he knew he wanted to find out.

"Okay." Rey crossed the room to the instrument panel and hailed Ajan Kloss. She got through to the chief comm officer, who patched her through to Rose. "Hey Rose."

"Rey! Are you alright? We've been so worried!"

"I'm fine. So's Poe. Please tell Connix not to panic." She and Finn shared a smile. "Listen, Rose, did you find anything in that data we sent?"

"Are you kidding? Naboo has some pretty advanced stuff. The things I could do with this…"

"Rose," Finn cut in. "Can we get back to the part where this thing tried to kill our friend?"

"Oh, right. Sorry." They heard some odd noises in the background.

Rey decided to cut to the chase. "Listen, Rose, I think someone tampered with it. Poe thought it latched onto my transponder and judging from what I see, he's right. But some of the maintenance logs are corrupted."

"I noticed that. What did Poe hit it with?"

"What did I do now?" Rey and Finn turned; Poe stood in the middle of the common area, hands on his hips, his face slightly bemused. "I'm clearly in trouble if I'm waking up alone, Sunshine."

Rey rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to get an early start. I didn't want to wake you."

"You two are so cute!" Rose called through the connection. "Aren't they cute, Finn?"

"Not looking too cute at the moment," Finn deadpanned.

Poe came up behind her, kissing the top of her head. "We'll talk about this later," he whispered, smiling wickedly. "Rose, what were you asking?"

"I asked how you took out the drone."

"Why? What's wrong?" Rey and Rose explained the corrupted data and how it seemed to be the key to unlocking who tampered with the drone. "So, you're sure it was tampered with then?"

"As sure as I can be without the missing logs," Rey replied. She showed him the holopad, pointing out key commands in the drone's code. "This was added by hand."

"How can you tell?" Poe had his share of experience tinkering with droids, but he knew when he was a bit out of his depth.

"See these? Here and here? That's not standard on these types of droids," Rey explained. "I cross referenced it with the manufacturer's specs, just to be sure." They couldn't afford to be wrong about this; there was more at stake than just her life. There still wasn't a fully functioning government; they couldn't simply go around accusing people of trying to assassinate the last Jedi. They needed proof.

Poe rested his hand at the back of her neck, his fingers absently stroking the skin there. She was right here, warm and alive. He would do everything in his power to keep her that way. "Is there anyway to retrieve the missing data?"

"Already working on it, Poe," Rose called through the connection. She sounded farther away now, like she was across the room.

"If it's a maintenance log," Finn said thoughtfully, "shouldn't there be a copy of it somewhere?"

"Unless it was wiped," Rey said.

"It would probably be at the civilian defense base," Poe added. "That's where the drones are kept. We don't have a reason to go back there." It was unlikely he and Rey would be going anywhere for the next couple of days, as their presence would be required elsewhere. Poe fought the frustration building in his chest; he hated all this political nonsense!

"You may not," Finn replied. "But I can. Jannah and I can check it out, say we're doing an inspection or something."

"Finn…"

"Besides, someone might have seen something. They're more likely to talk to me, Poe," Finn argued. "I've been here longer. I'm less intimidating than you."

Poe wasn't crazy about this plan, but he didn't have anything better. "Just be careful, Finn. Whoever this is might not just be after Rey. I've lost enough friends."

Finn clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll be back soon, man. If there's something to find, we'll find it."

Rey and Poe watched him leave. They said goodbye to Rose, who was working on the roadblock from the safety of Ajan Kloss. Once they were alone, Poe sighed. "I thought we were doing this together."

"We are, Poe."

"I wasn't expecting to wake up alone. Maybe I'm just getting used to having you there, Sunshine."

She hadn't thought about that. She was just used to doing whatever needed to be done. Rey stood and moved into his waiting arms. "Sorry. You looked so peaceful and…"

He put a finger to her lips. "It's alright. I found your note." He smiled. "Maybe I'm not as good at our nightly activities as you think, if you're waking up that early."

She rolled her eyes, but her fingers teased the curls at the nape of his neck. "Maybe you're out of practice, flyboy."

He laughed. "Is that a challenge, Master Jedi?"

"Maybe." She leaned in and kissed him, her lips lingering on his.

"You can never have too much practice," he murmured, kissing her again. She sighed and melted against him; her arms sliding under his jacket.

"Nope," Rey agreed between kisses. This was what she'd missed this morning, waking up to her lover's silken kisses and gentle touches. When she leaned her forehead against his, she was a bit lightheaded. "That's quite a good morning."

He chuckled. "You'd have gotten an even better one if you'd stayed in bed."

"I know. But this was important."

Poe sighed. "I know." They had the entire rest of their lives to wake up together. He was just being greedy because of her close call yesterday. He kissed her forehead. "This is going to be a long day."

"At least we'll be together."

"True." He could brave the upcoming political minefield with his Jedi by his side.

* * *

_This isn't a negotiation, this is a cocktail party,_ Poe thought as he took another sip of his drink. It was some sweet tasting wine from Naboo; he missed the name. Not enough to even get him tipsy though; he had to be alert. Much like when he and Rey first arrived, the Queen thought it prudent to start things off with a party. Under any other circumstances, he'd have simply gone along, but everywhere he looked he saw a potential threat.

The Queen. Curke. Beph. Fyssa. Their former companion, Has, was nowhere to be seen, which Poe also considered suspicious. Has had been the one to question Rey most closely about her quest to restore the Jedi. Fyssa, he recalled, was especially bitter and resentful of the Order.

They were no closer to finding the potential saboteur than they had been that morning. Finn and Jannah were still down at the civil defense base; they'd taken BB-8 with them. Chewie, meanwhile, was on the Falcon, coordinating with Rose and guarding the ship from any other mischief. No one wanted to mess with a Wookie. That left Poe and Rey to handle the politics.

How was this different from the war? In some ways, this was worse, because at least during the war, he knew who the bad guys were. The First Order wore uniforms; they made no secret of their intentions as terrible as they were. The person who tried to kill his fiancé could be right in front of him and he had no way to know.

"You seem troubled, General."

Poe tried to smile as he looked down at the young Queen. "I have a lot on my mind, Your Highness." He wanted to believe that she was as good as she seemed. She'd given him a piece of his mother that he never expected to have. She'd been open and welcoming to them as well as supportive of Finn's initiative. But what if all that was a front? _You're being paranoid, Dameron._ Still, it was Rey, so he thought he was allowed to be a little paranoid.

"Have they figured out what caused the malfunction of the drone? Please allow me to apologize again. How is Master Skywalker?"

"She's okay. Honestly, I think I was more shaken by it than she was." Rey was tough, though he wished she didn't have to be. He smiled as he caught sight of her; she was speaking to one of the Queen's handmaidens. Was it the one Finn suspected of being Force sensitive? He couldn't remember.

"You care for her a great deal."

"She makes all this worth it," he said honestly. "She's everything." He realized he hadn't answered her original question. "No, they haven't figured out what happened." He and Rey observed as techs ran all sorts of diagnostics on the downed drone, but there wasn't a lot to salvage.

"If there is anything I can do to help, please ask. It pains me that guests under my protection were in unnecessary danger."

Poe tightened his grip on his glass; it was so damned hard, not knowing who to trust. A dozen platitudes formed and died in his throat; fortunately, they were interrupted by none other than Shebom Beph. The older man held out his hand; Poe shook it. "Ambassador."

"General Dameron, I hear congratulations are in order."

Poe blinked, but before he could speak, the Queen arched a brow. "Congratulations?"

There was no point in hiding it. "Master Skywalker and I are engaged to be married, Your Highness."

The young woman's face lit up. "Oh, that _is _wonderful news! Why didn't you say something? We could have had a proper celebration for you, General."

"That's kind of you, Your Highness, but not necessary. We didn't want to distract from the progress we hope to accomplish with this visit." _How did Beph know already?_ Poe wondered. As far as Poe knew, they'd only told Kes, Finn, Rose and Chewie. He glanced at Rey; she wore her traditional Jedi robes, but at her throat was the golden chain. She wasn't hiding it, which he half expected her to do. Not because she was embarrassed, but for practicality. Rey, it seemed, thought otherwise.

"But this is a recent event, yes?"

He nodded. "Just yesterday, actually." He looked to Beph again, wondering how the man figured it out.

"You're causing quite the stir, General Dameron," Beph said, his grey eyes a mixture of amused and calculating. "First, your stormtrooper experiment, now marrying a Jedi. What would Princess Leia think?"

"I think she'd want peace, Ambassador. I think she'd also want the people closest to her to be happy."

"Are you sure you're not angling for office? A handsome, dashing general could be the jolt this fledgling government needs."

Poe fought the urge to punch the smarmy look off the man's face. "First, you thought I wanted to set up a military dictatorship and now you think I want to be a politician? Which is it, Ambassador?"

Beph actually laughed. "So, you do remember that. I wondered." He looked once more at Rey. "You seem to be quite busy of late. She is rather lovely."

_Breathe. Do not make a scene._ He took one breath, then two. He downed a large sip of his wine. "Yes, she is. But I'd watch yourself, Ambassador. She can also make you think you're a dianoga with just her mind. How does raw sewage taste, I wonder?" It was a low blow, but he was on edge. He never claimed to be a diplomat anyway. He was just a simple soldier.

Rey sensed the tension from across the room. She started to excuse herself, but then she saw Poe walk away from Beph. The set of his shoulders wasn't right; his usual charming smile was nowhere to be seen. She'd felt Beph staring at her, but he was easy enough to ignore. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

She lost sight of him in her haste; before she could focus on where he might have gone, someone called her name. "Master Skywalker?"

Rey still wasn't used to that; she almost didn't stop. "Yes?" When she turned, she was surprised to see Sayana Parbera standing in front of her. Rey hadn't seen the woman since their first meeting, the day she and Poe arrived on Naboo. "Councilor."

"My apologies for accosting you like this, but I wanted to apologize for my behavior when you first arrived. I was unnecessarily harsh."

"We are all trying to find our way, Councilor," Rey said evenly. She hadn't forgotten the way this woman had tried to get Poe's attention during that same meeting. "These are uncertain times."

"My uncle was one of the palace guards killed during the fighting when Queen Amidala retook the capital," Parbera said quietly. "I never knew him; he died before I was born. But my father never forgot. He blamed the Jedi because their presence drew a Sith lord to Naboo."

_Oh._ This woman's uncle must have been killed by Maul. Rey was still learning Jedi history, but she knew about Sidious's first apprentice. Of course, Sidious himself was from Naboo, but no one knew that at the time. "I'm sorry. The Jedi weren't perfect, but I'm sure if they could have saved him, they would have."

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I've been observing you since your arrival. I was prepared to hate you and everything the Jedi stand for. But I've only ever seen you be kind and generous. And General Dameron thinks highly of you."

Rey wasn't fooled. Yes, this woman might no longer be hostile to her as a Jedi (something Rey would be foolish to believe outright since someone recently _tried to kill her_), but she was definitely fishing for information on Poe. Rey hadn't seen much of her, but that didn't mean Poe hadn't. Rey certainly couldn't blame her; Poe was handsome and charming. He was also _hers. _"I'll be sure to pass your compliment on to my fiancé," she said evenly. "We are all going to need to work together to rebuild."

Parbera blinked, clearly surprised, but she recovered quickly. "Let me be the first to congratulate you, Master Skywalker. Though it is a bit…unconventional? Isn't there some sort of Jedi Code?"

"There was, yes. But like the rest of the galaxy, the Jedi need to evolve to survive." She was empathic to Parbera's feelings, but Rey had somewhere more important to be. "If you'll excuse me, Councilor…"

"Yes, my apologies again for my earlier behavior."

Rey acknowledged her with a crisp nod then she went in search of Poe. She scanned the room for him, just in case he'd returned to the party, but he was nowhere to be seen. She was starting to get worried. She reached into the Force, just enough to get a sense of where he might be. Frustration and tension rolled through her; wherever he was, he was upset. Rey slipped from the room as unobtrusively as she could, intent on searching for her missing pilot.

Poe squeezed the railing, letting out a growl of frustration. He probably shouldn't have left like that, but if he'd stayed, he might have done something he regretted. As much of an ass as Beph undoubtedly was, he was one of the people trying to put the galaxy back together. Until he was _proven _to be an enemy, pissing the man off did no good. Leia was the only politician type Poe had ever really trusted; then again, Leia was also a realist. She never hesitated when she discovered the threat posed by the First Order. She got out there and did something about it, while others put their heads in the sand.

A lot of good people had died as a result.

Now it was his responsibility. The Resistance, the future of the galaxy, all of it. He couldn't let Leia down. Or Snap. Paige. Holdo. Lors San Tekka. Force, so many people. Why did Leia choose him? He was karked if he understood. He'd led a _mutiny_, for Force sake. He had no idea what the hells he was doing. He only had a vague idea about what _not _to do and he was already failing.

"Poe?"

He felt a smile tug at his mouth; how did she do that? He wasn't surprised that she found him; her simple presence eased the doubt and anxiety he let in. "Hey Sunshine."

She appeared beside him, resting her hand on his. "You okay?"

He shook his head. "I didn't mean to take you from the party."

"I'm exactly where I need to be." She rubbed the inside of his wrist. "Was it Beph?"

"Yes. No. A little." He sighed, letting go of the railing and folding her smaller hand in his. "This whole drone thing has me on edge. We don't know who to trust. And Beph was already skeptical of us back on Ajan Kloss. I guess, the way he talked about you set me off."

"At least you didn't punch him."

Poe smiled. "Would have felt good though."

Rey brought his hand to her lips. "Until I had to heal you again."

"We should probably not make a habit of that."

"Why not?"

"Didn't you say it uses some of your life force? You shouldn't waste that on me."

She frowned. "I don't think it works like that, Poe. And it's my life force. I'll use it however I want." Sure, if she overdid it, it could weaken her, even kill her like it had Ben. But the Force flowed through every living thing in the galaxy. It wasn't finite. She got back what she put into it.

"Still, let's try to stay out of situations where it would be necessary."

"We're doing pretty well so far, I think." She admired him in the moonlight, the way the shadows played over his face. "So, are you gonna tell me what happened? You weren't just angry at Beph."

"Reading my mind, Jedi?" Rey opened her mouth, but Poe kissed her quiet. "Sorry. Bad joke." She promised to never get inside his head, and he believed her. But they were connected now, through the Force. They sensed each other's emotions; she'd even managed to show him her Force signature. The intimacy they shared went beyond the physical; it was on a level he could never have imagined. Every time she showed him something new, he fell a little bit more in love with her.

Perhaps that was why Beph's implication bothered him so much. He made it seem like Poe was with her only because she was young and beautiful, that having her love stroked his ego. Poe wasn't so naïve to believe that Beph would be the last person to assume that. Their age difference wasn't something they could change, not that he would. He loved Rey exactly as was, even when her recklessness drove him crazy. It was just another way they were alike.

Rey reached up and started kneading the muscles at the base of his neck. "Talk to me," she whispered. He took such good care of her; she wanted to do the same for him. When he first suggested she rest after they returned with the drone, she'd pushed back. But he was right. She hadn't needed _answers _in that moment, she needed him. She needed him to stop her from pushing herself too hard. Now he needed her.

Poe leaned his forehead against hers. "You're pretty good at that."

"Next time I'll do it properly. Now how about you tell me what happened?"

"Beph knows about us. He walked right up to me and started congratulating me on the engagement."

That was disconcerting. "But how…?"

"That was my first thought. But then he started to imply other things and I let him get to me. I shouldn't have. I'm supposed to be a leader, someone who keeps their cool. But I just can't seem to keep my head when it comes to you."

Rey stroked his jaw. "Sometimes that's not a bad thing." When they were alone, it could be a very good thing.

"It is when he implies that I'm only with you for the sex."

She hadn't expected him to be so blunt. "Poe…"

"I know our relationship is no one's business but ours, but it still bothers me, Rey. We can't change who we are. Worse, I don't want people to think I'm using you, especially for personal gain." He sighed and turned away, leaning on the railing again.

She gave him a minute, then she crossed her arms over her chest. "Poe. Look at me." Reluctantly, he did so. "I don't care what anyone else thinks about us. I love you. And it has nothing to do with our ages or the Force or whatever stupid reasons other people come up with. I love the man who treats his droid like a friend. I love the man who helped free a stormtrooper and gave him a _name._ I love the man who would do anything to protect the people he loves, even if it means going against authority. I love the man who is good and kind and can fly _anything._ That's who I want to spend my life with, Poe Dameron. You wouldn't happen to know where he is now, would you?"

The love and passion in her voice moved him to tears. He was so, so lucky to have her in his life. Poe closed the gap between them and captured her lips in a fervent kiss. Rey wrapped herself around him, letting out a little squeak as he lifted her up and set her on the stone railing. "He's right here, Sunshine."

She smiled. "Good." She drew his lips back to hers; she loved kissing him. "I do have a confession though."

He chuckled. "What's that?"

"I ran into Parbera, right when I went to find you."

It took Poe a moment to remember who she meant. "So, what's your confession?"

"She likes you," Rey said, fingering one of the straps on his leather jacket.

Poe's smile widened; he suspected he knew where she was going with this. "I hadn't noticed."

"Don't mock me, Poe."

"I'm not." He tipped her chin up, so she had to look in his eyes. "I didn't notice because I don't have a reason to. In case you missed it, I am happily spoken for. I've only got eyes for _you,_ Rey Skywalker."

While she knew that, it was nice to hear it. She really liked her name on his lips. It didn't sound so strange when he said it. "I told her about the engagement."

"Staking your territory?"

She gave him a playful shove. "Like you don't, flyboy." She had a faint mark at the base of her neck to prove it. Thank the Maker for Jedi robes.

"Only when we're alone," he whispered, making her shiver. She tugged him back, kissing him soundly. "This is much better than some stuffy party." He resumed kissing her, biting back a low moan as her fingers dipped under the open collar of his shirt.

"We…should…probably get back…to the stuffy party," she murmured, carding her fingers through his hair.

"So, Beph can try to recruit me for the Senate again? No thanks."

His lips descended on her throat, but Rey tugged him back. "Beph tried to do what?"

Poe shrugged. "Before he, uh, said those things about you, he implied that the best way for me to serve was in government. How ridiculous is that?"

He expected her to join him in disbelief, but instead, she looked thoughtful. "I don't think it sounds ridiculous."

"Sunshine, we just went over how I'm the worst diplomat in the kriffing galaxy. I'm a just a pilot who's fumbling around in the dark trying to lead."

Rey looked stern. "You've always been more than just a pilot," she countered. "To Leia, to Finn, to me. And we're _all_ fumbling around in the dark. I haven't the first clue how to reform the Jedi Order. So far, I've got one student." It was Finn, so for her, it didn't really count. The real test would come when she needed to teach a stranger how to use the Force.

"I'm so kriffing _tired_," he murmured. "Is a quiet home with my wife too much to ask?"

She smiled. "Perhaps not, but you'd get bored." She cupped his cheek. "Leia chose you for a reason, Poe. Just know that I'm here, whatever you decide."

"Whatever we decide," he corrected. "Master Jedi."

"Senator Dameron has a nice ring to it," she teased.

"Ugh, about as much as General Dameron."

"I like it. You earned it."

"So did Finn."

"I hope he and Jannah are okay." They hadn't heard from them since their confirmed arrival at the civil defense base.

Poe wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sure they're fine." He had to believe that, just like he had to believe that they would find whoever sabotaged that drone.

It was peaceful out there, but they'd lingered long enough. "Ready to head back, General?"

"Not really," he confessed. "You're right; we should." He kissed her forehead. "Thanks for coming to find me, Sunshine."

She squeezed his hand before she hopped off the railing. She liked being the one he leaned on when he was upset and frustrated with the world. In so many ways, they were broken; they were just starting to put the pieces back together. Together, their broken pieces were starting to knit together in a new tapestry, greater than the sum of its parts. She was a Jedi; some of her journey was already chosen for her. Help the innocent, keep the peace, train others like her. She accepted that; she didn't want anyone to suffer as she did. But Poe was the part of her journey that _she_ chose. She wanted to help him find his path after the peace because he, in turn, had chosen _her_ as a part of _his_ journey.

They walked arm in arm back to the party; Poe realized this would be their first time at a gathering like this as a real couple. Before, they downplayed their relationship in public, but with the engagement, that seemed silly. Everyone knew; why shouldn't they attend together?

Just as they turned down the final corridor, Poe heard the distinct sound of his comm. He kept it in his pocket, just in case there was any news. Sharing a look with Rey, he got it out and switched it on. "Finn?"

"Thank Force," their friend said, clearly relieved.

"What's wrong?" Rey asked. "Did you find something?"

"You could say that."

Poe resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You're killing me, Finn."

"We probably shouldn't talk about it over comms."

"I guess that means we're coming to you." Poe looked at Rey. "Do you think Chewie will kill me if we fly the Falcon?"

"Only one way to find out."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:** When did this fic get so big? LOL I am back from vacation, NOT SICK, and finally updating! Woot! This chapter is a little extra long to make up for missing a week. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I watched TROS twice on my cruise, does that count?

**Chapter 10**

"We've cleared the city."

Rey kept her eyes on the Falcon's window, her senses on high alert. They'd managed to sneak to the main landing pad without too much trouble, but she had no doubt that they would be missed soon. The Falcon wasn't exactly the stealthiest ship in the galaxy. Once the Naboo realized they'd gone, they'd lose their slim advantage.

Poe glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was tense, her fingertips tapping the yoke, even as she held the ship steady. They hadn't spoken much since they talked to Finn, aside from convincing Chewbacca to stay behind. The Wookie was _not _happy about it, but they needed someone to stay behind to watch over BB-8. He carried the precious memory from the drone, evidence they would need to prove their case. There hadn't been time to get it before they left. Poe knew his friend was more than capable of getting out of tough spots all on its own, but he felt better knowing BB-8 was with Chewie.

He shrugged out of his uniform jacket, tossed it into one of the seats behind him, and rolled up his sleeves. He spotted the corner of Rey's mouth twitch; he grinned. "You should focus on flying, sweetheart."

"I am focused."

"Sure, you are." Even that gentle teasing eased the tension just a bit; he felt her relax a fraction. Poe leaned over and kissed her temple. "We're gonna figure this out."

She nodded. "I know. I just…I guess I want to know why," she murmured. "Why me?"

Poe didn't have an answer. He wanted to know as badly as she did. The most logical assumption was that whoever was behind this saw Rey as a threat. She was the last Jedi. She'd destroyed the Sith once and for all. She was powerful. Her innate goodness and compassion drew people to her. He had no doubt that once word of her accomplishments made their way across the galaxy, she would have beings of all kinds flocking to her. She'd been so alone and afraid when she realized her power; he knew she didn't want anyone else to go through what she did. He was so proud of everything she'd done so far; she was the strongest person he knew.

Of course, that every same power made her a threat to anyone who wished to see chaos continue to reign in the galaxy. The legend of the Jedi could rally people as few other things could.

None of that mattered to Poe. He cared about _Rey_. She'd been through so much, more than any one person should have to deal with in one lifetime. He wanted to banish all her cares and hurts; he wanted to make her smile and laugh. Her laugh was one of his favorites sounds in the whole galaxy. Her very being lit up when she smiled; he especially loved that one she reserved just for him.

He couldn't fathom why anyone would want to destroy her light.

Rey hugged the coastline, keeping the Falcon low enough to stay off any radar in the area. She was grateful to have Poe in the co-pilot's seat, even though Chewie was less than thrilled. She appreciated his concern for her welfare, but Poe seemed to have a knack for soothing her anxieties. He kept smiling reassuringly in her direction, whenever he sensed her thoughts begin to tumble out of control.

"Base approaching," Poe murmured, glancing from his panel to the window. He fired up the Falcon's shields, just in case, but it appeared quiet. No fighters were scrambling; no personnel hurried along the ground. He could just make out the small craft Finn and Jannah had left in near the opening of the hangar.

The radio squawked. "Unknown vessel, identify yourself."

Rey and Poe shared a look. "This is the Millennium Falcon requesting permission to land."

This time a familiar voice came over the comm. "Rey, it's okay," Finn said. "Go ahead and land."

"Copy that, Finn." She glanced at Poe again. "He seems to have everything under control."

"Of course, he does. It's Finn." Poe sounded more confident than he felt; the whole trip he wondered how they would be greeted. They were supposed to be at a party after all. Poe and Rey brought the Falcon in next to Finn's ship, landing with a gentle thump. On their way to the gangway, both grabbed their blasters from the weapons rack; Rey's lightsaber was already clipped to her belt. They'd learned the hard way to wary.

Jannah was waiting for them at the bottom. "Any trouble?"

Rey shook her head. "Not so far."

"I'm sure someone will miss us soon enough."

Jannah smiled. "The Naboo enjoy their hospitality."

"I could do with a little less of it," Poe murmured. He'd never really been comfortable in such settings. Like that time he and Finn went undercover to Corellia to steal a list of people the First Order declared subversive and imprisoned. It was right after the battle of Crait; he'd been eager to redeem himself in Leia's eyes. But that kind of work required a finesse that he'd never really possessed. Suralinda had been much more comfortable than he. Even Finn seemed to enjoy it. Poe only settled down once the whole thing went sideways, and they had to fight their way out.

Rey smiled at him. "Sometimes it's not so bad." Her eyes moved over him, taking in the uniform. She liked that. A lot.

Poe found himself blushing. "Can we focus please?"

Jannah chuckled quietly. "Come on. Finn's this way." She led them into the hangar, which was brightly lit and pristine. Poe frowned, mentally comparing it to their base on Ajan Kloss. That wasn't even a base in the most formal sense, just a bunch of ships dropped down in the forest. They'd worked hard to clear trees and scrubs for the ships, while leaving as much intact as they dared. The forest was a good shield, lest they be discovered.

Rey sensed Poe's annoyance. "What's wrong?"

"This just feels…wrong. We've been fighting and toiling and dying for years while they sat here and did nothing." He thought about all those times they called for help and no one came. Crait, the weeks and months shortly after. Leia tried to sound the alarm about the First Order for years and no one took her seriously until it was too late. By then, everyone was too scared to join the fight. Why would this be any different?

Rey squeezed his hand. "I was one of those people," she reminded him. "Until BB-8 dropped into my life, I had no idea what was going on."

"That's different. You were trying to survive." He brushed an errant curl behind her ear. "And I'm very glad you did."

"We can't change the past. All we can do is move forward and do the best we can." Poe helped her see that. In the weeks since Exegol, she'd worried about her past and how is could affect her future. It was exhausting. Seeing firsthand how it twisted her grandfather into a monster frightened her. She didn't want to be like that. She didn't want power. She wanted a family, a home, a place to belong. She found that with the Resistance. With Finn. Most of all, with Poe. He didn't see the past when he looked at her. He saw a future filled with happiness and love and joy.

She was determined they would find it. Together.

"Rey! Poe!" Finn called. He waved, though his smile was somewhat grim. He stood by the console, like he was guarding it. "Glad to see you made it here in one piece."

Poe wasn't sure if he should be worried or offended. He didn't crash that much, for Maker's sake. And there were always extenuating circumstances! "What's so explosive you couldn't talk about it over the comm?"

Finn gestured to the seat in front of him. Rey slid into it; Poe spotted a uniformed figure out of the corner of his eye. Finn didn't seem alarmed, so he tried not to let it bother him. The figure was shorter than he by a good four inches; when they turned slightly, he blinked. They were female. Not unusual in the Resistance camp, but he couldn't recall any women in the Naboo armed forces.

"Remember those missing maintenance logs? We found them."

"Or rather, we found who wiped them," Jannah cut in. She had her arms crossed over her chest, her brown eyes scanning the area for potential eavesdroppers. Did she see their companion against the far wall? Was he the only one? "They missed a camera, it seems."

Rey poured over the footage. It was at an inconvenient angle; half the picture was shrouded in darkness. She could see the drone, however. Someone was definitely tampering with it. The figure glanced up every few seconds to see if they were being watched. After several glances toward the ceiling, Rey realized they were cataloging the cameras. "Where was this taken?" The saboteur seemed to look everywhere _except _at this camera; it was frustrating.

Finn turned and pointed. Poe saw a pile of crates sitting between two more Naboo fighters; no doubt they carried more of the training drones. "Where's the camera?"

Finn leaned over Rey and punched in a few commands. A schematic of the base appeared; he zoomed into the section they were standing in. "Cameras are here, here, here and here," he said, pointing to each flashing red dot. "This is the one our friend missed." It was tucked up in the rafters, covering the area from above.

"That explains the odd angle," Rey said quietly.

"They look young," Poe said, leaning over her shoulder.

"Younger than me?"

"No, right about your age, I'd say." His lips quirked and he brushed a quick kiss to her cheek. "Can't tell the gender though."

Rey rolled her eyes at him, then she turned her attention to the display. She punched in a few commands, trying to turn the picture around, adjust the brightness and saturation, anything that might help. What they really needed was for the saboteur to look at the camera. _Come on, _she thought. _Just one look._

Poe straightened, keeping his hand on Rey's shoulder. Their companion was still on the other side of the room, appearing absorbed in their duties. "Hey Finn, who's that soldier over there?"

"Where?" Finn looked. "Oh, that's a friend. She's the Queen's personal aide."

"Are you sure you can trust her?"

"Poe, she'd been working with us since we arrived. The moment we realized the drone was tampered with, I called her. She's trustworthy. And she hasn't breathed a word of this to the Queen, which kinda puts her job in jeopardy."

Poe leaned back, chagrined. He really hated this feeling, but it was so hard to know who to trust. But he did trust Finn. He trusted him with his life; he had from the very beginning. If Finn trusted this soldier, then he would trust in his friend's judgment. "Right, sorry."

Finn laid a hand on Poe's shoulder. "Hey, I get it. We're all a little on edge." Finn didn't like the idea of Rey being in danger anymore than Poe did. But they were a team; they would figure this out.

"Yes!" Rey yelled excitedly.

"What is it?"

She pointed the screen, now frozen. "We have our saboteur."

Poe leaned in to get a closer look. He'd been right, the person was young, straight dark hair, stubbly attempt to grow a beard, a bit gangly. He looked familiar. "Why do I know him?"

Finn studied the face. "I've seen him too!" Suddenly, he slammed his hands down on the console. "That's one of Curke's aides! That slimy, no good, son of a rancor!"

Rey shivered. The image flickered in front of her, still and silent. She'd been so excited to find the answer, but now, she was just sad. Why would this random soldier of Naboo want her dead? Was he working for Curke or was it something else? Curke made no secret of his dislike of their presence, but was it enough to _kill?_ That seemed extreme, even for him.

But, then again, she'd been fooled before.

Some stirred at the back of her mind; they were missing something. But what?

Jannah pointed at the screen. "What's that?"

"Where?" Poe asked, squinting at the image.

"There." She pointed at smudge on the boy's left wrist; the image was too fuzzy to make it out. She looked to Finn. "Tell me that's not what I think it is."

Finn looked from the display to Jannah, the color draining from his face. "No way. No, it can't be. Jannah, the picture's way too pixelated to tell what that is. It's probably just grease."

Jannah looked unimpressed. Poe didn't know her that well yet, but if she suspected something was off, then he was going to at least hear her out. "What is it, Jannah? Some First Order thing we don't know about?" That seemed to be a logical conclusion, given that Finn and Jannah were both ex-stormtroopers.

Jannah didn't take her eyes off Finn as she nodded. "Every day was a test for us. To see how well you obeyed, how well you fell in line. The conditioning…anyway, some took to it more than others. One by one, those troopers would be plucked from their platoons, never to see seen again."

Rey felt Poe's hand tighten on her shoulder. "What happened to them?"

"It was a big mystery at first, you know? We were taught not to care about one another, that we were expendable." Finn glanced away; Rey could feel the shame rolling off him. "But gradually, rumors started to circulate. I think, in the end, they wanted us to know. To give us something to _aspire_ to." She spat out that last bit, disgust all over her face.

"And?" Poe couldn't fathom the horror of living like that; or how grateful he was that people like Finn and Jannah managed to overcome it.

It was Finn, not Jannah, who answered. "Operation Python."

"What's Operation Python?" _What was it with the First Order and these stupid names_, Poe wondered.

"A secret class of stormtroopers, spies, assassins," Finn explained.

"I thought the First Order was about forced labor as 'remedial' measure?" Poe asked. Of course, it was forced labor until the person died, but still. Not really better from straight up murder, now that he thought about it.

"That was only for show," Finn growled, his hands balling up into fists. "The ones they _knew _they couldn't turn were just killed."

Jannah covered his hands with hers, her warm brown eyes echoing the pain in Finn's. Rey saw it now, the deep connection they shared. As Jannah stroked his knuckles, Finn's brow smoothed out, his anger ebbed away. Rey looked away, suddenly feeling like she was intruding. Instinctively, she reached for Poe, who curled his fingers around hers and squeezed.

Poe rubbed the back of Rey's neck, allowing the silence to hang in the room. Finn clearly needed a few moments; Poe didn't blame him. He thought about that list he worked so hard to steal right after Crait. He'd been on it, so had Leia. Dozens more of their would be friends and allies. Good people, who knew what the First Order was doing was wrong and tried to speak out. How many of them were the subject of this Operation Python? Was he? If he was, then Rey certainly was. She was the most dangerous woman in the whole galaxy.

Emotions under control, Finn spoke again. "Supposedly, the members of Operation Python had some sort of mark. It was their only insignia. I never saw one, so I can't say for sure."

"What sort of mark?"

Jannah shrugged. "Some sort of rune, but I never knew what language it was."

"Sith." Rey looked up at Poe. "It had to be Sith, the one language so forbidden droids couldn't even speak it."

"That would make sense."

"But why?" Jannah asked. "We were always told the Force didn't exist. That it was a fairy tale. I didn't even believe in it until recently."

Poe frowned. "What did everyone think Kylo Ren was doing then? Magic tricks?" No magic trick felt like he'd felt when Kylo Ren got inside his head.

"You'd be surprised what a little sleight of hand can accomplish, General Dameron."

Four pairs of eyes looked up; Poe's jaw dropped. So did Finn's. The petite soldier, Finn's friend, stood before them, her cap in her hand. Long dark hair wrapped around her head in an elaborate braid; a playful yet somehow serious smile played on her lips.

It was the Queen of Naboo.

"Your highness," Rey said, shocked.

"Reva, you were her the _whole time?_" Finn demanded.

"Please forgive my subterfuge, Finn," the young woman said. "I meant no harm. You would be surprised at how difficult it is for people to be honest with royalty."

"It's a security measure too, I bet," Poe added. "I wondered why all your handmaidens looked alike."

"Just so, General."

Poe smiled. "Perhaps titles are no longer necessary?"

Reva smiled too. "I agree." She laid her cap aside. "I am Reva Tem."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Reva," Poe replied.

"You actually already did. Remember when you asked about a spot for a romantic outing?"

Poe blinked. "Wait, that was _you_?" Now he just felt stupid. Who asked a queen for advice regarding their love life? "I never suspected."

"Which is how it's supposed to be. Most of the time it is me under all that make up and headdress. But sometimes, when meeting new unknown potential allies, for example, one of my handmaidens takes my place. Other times, I just want to enjoy the people around me without all the formality."

"That's why I could never get a clear read on you," Rey said, thinking back. "Because it wasn't always you."

Finn was still stunned. This person that he'd worked closely with for weeks was actually the Queen! He'd confided their mission, treated her as an equal. But she was royalty.

Reva turned back to Finn. "Are you angry with me?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure."

Reva looked a bit hurt, but she covered it quickly. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"We think so," Poe said. "We know who tampered with the drone." He and Rey showed the Queen—sorry, Reva—the footage, but Poe wasn't looking at the screen. He was looking at her. Part of him wanted to trust her, despite her subterfuge. It took a lot of bravery to come all the way out here without any security; he admired that. In a lot of ways, Reva reminded him of Leia.

Reva's brow furrowed; Rey saw the moment she recognized the saboteur. "Lundam Armas," she whispered.

"He's one of Curke's aides."

"He is, but he's just a boy."

"Older than you," Poe couldn't help but point out.

"Are you implying that age is the detriment of wisdom?" she asked, a brow cocked in his direction.

Poe felt Rey's eyes on him too; why did his mouth always get him into trouble? "Sorry. Of course not." His fiancé was over a decade his junior; he was the last person to be lecturing about age. "This isn't definitive proof; the actual logs are still missing. But I think it's enough to bring him in, yes?"

"Let's hope Rose has more luck untangling the corrupted data," Finn said.

"What logs?" Reva asked.

Rey answered, lest Poe offend the Queen again. "When we found the drone, we had our droid download its memory. When I examined it, I found several key logs were corrupted. We sent the data back to the Resistance base, hoping that our friend there could untangle it."

Reva placed her hands on her hips. "I suppose I should be upset, but I think I understand why you did it. All of us are figuring out who to trust."

"Indeed, Your highness. Sorry, Reva," Poe said. "Someone tried to kill the woman I love, and I'd like to know why."

"As would I, Poe. Perhaps it is time we…what do they say? Lay all our cards on the table?"

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Rey walked sedately beside Reva, hoping her nerves didn't show. The Queen was still in her soldier's uniform, a blaster at her hip. Rey couldn't help but admire the younger woman; she was cool, collected, brave. She was everything Rey imagined that a Queen should be. All along she'd had a good feeling about her; she was glad to see that she was right. At least so far. She didn't blame Poe for his caution; he'd been a soldier for a long time, he'd seen more of the galaxy. Really, it could still go either way.

On the way back, she'd tried to meditate, to see if she could see a glimpse of the future. Finn and Jannah's story about Operation Python worried her; if there were still operatives out in the galaxy, then countless more could be in danger. If key leaders died or disappeared, that could send the galaxy spiraling into even more chaos. Who did that help? The remnants of the First Order, trying desperately to regain a foothold in the galaxy.

If they allowed that to happen, then everything they'd suffered would have been for nothing.

Unfortunately, the Force revealed nothing to her.

It was frustrating, not knowing. But as she told Poe, having the Force was complicated. She would just have to be patient, do what she could. If her debacle with Ben taught her anything, it was that she didn't have all the answers. She couldn't save anyone who didn't want to be saved.

"That's a beautiful ring," Reva said quietly.

Rey instinctively curled her fingers around it. "It belonged to Poe's mother."

"A gift?"

"More like a promise." She recalled that this woman had been with Finn all evening; she didn't know about their engagement.

Reva's smile was warm. "A promise of marriage?" Rey nodded. "I imagine I'm not the first to congratulate you, but it is heartfelt all the same. You two care very deeply for each other."

"That night we first arrived, before the meeting," Rey began. "Was that you or a handmaiden?" That night the woman she believed to be Queen tried to warn her; she spoke of the forbidden love of Anakin and Padme. Rey refused to be intimidated; the old ways were gone and with them, the need to hide her love. She didn't think she could do it anyway. More importantly, she didn't _want_ to. Poe was a good man; she was proud to be his partner. Just as he was hers.

Reva glanced away. "That was me. We switched after we re-entered the palace." She stopped and looked up at Rey. "I apologize if I offended you. I was not quite sure what to make of a Jedi who was so…open with her attachments. It goes against everything we've been taught. Even now, there are some among my people who resent the Jedi."

"Like Parbera?"

Reva nodded. "After the truth about Amidala's death came out, many were horrified. They were convinced that Skywalker had performed some Dark Side trick on her. They couldn't see they were two young people in love. Love is not the most rational of emotions."

Rey smiled. "No, it's not. But that's what makes it so extraordinary and powerful." She would do anything for the people she loved; she'd been willing to join the Sith merely to save them. Ben's love for his family brought him back and enabled him to fight beside her when she needed him most. Poe's love was a like warm blanket; it surrounded her, made her feel safe, and zinged through her blood. Finn's love made her laugh; Rose's love made her smile. She loved them all in different ways; she couldn't imagine her life without them. They were her family.

Reva smiled back. "If you don't mind the observation, General Dameron is also quite handsome. His attachment to you has been mourned among my handmaidens."

Rey flushed. She didn't quite know how to respond. She knew all too aware of how attractive her pilot was; she was a very lucky woman. "Your highness…"

"Reva, please."

"Then you must call me Rey. 'Master Skywalker' still feels like someone else." She hadn't known Luke that long, but his influence over her life remained. His acknowledgement that he was wrong about his self-exile and desire to end the Jedi had a profound affect on her. She hoped he would be proud of the route she'd chosen to take.

"You said that you chose it, your family name," Reva recalled. "In honor of your master?"

Rey nodded. "I didn't have a family name…before." She may be on a first name basis with the Queen of Naboo, but she wasn't going to advertise her real connection to this place. The situation was still too fraught. "But Master Luke and General Organa…they took me in and gave me somewhere to belong. Along with Finn and Poe and the rest of the Resistance."

"Princess Leia was the embodiment of strength and determination against incredible odds. I was sorry to hear of her passing."

"As was I. She is deeply missed by us all." Leia had given the galaxy for more than any one person should expect; she earned her rest. It was up to them to build something new, a lasting peace.

A soft beep got the Queen's attention. She checked her comm, nodding grimly. "Darri is in place," she confirmed. Darri was the handmaiden who'd taken her place earlier when she left with Finn, her most trusted confident and friend. "Shall we spring our trap, Rey?"

Rey plucked her lightsaber from her belt. "Ready when you are."

* * *

Poe reluctantly shrugged back into the uniform jacket; if he was going to do this sort of thing a lot, then he needed to get something that actually fit him. The jacket was just a hair too tight across his shoulders; the pants were a bit too long. He had those tucked in his boots, so it wasn't too obvious, but it made him self-conscious anyway.

"Where'd you find that get up anyway?" Finn asked, sliding his blaster into his holster.

"On the Tantive IV. It's gently used!"

Finn grinned. "I'll say."

"Rey likes it." His mind drifted back to the day they arrived, when she first saw him dressed like this. Judging from the once over she gave him, she _definitely _liked it. Poe had never considered himself _vain _necessarily (well, except for his hair. He _loved _his hair!), but when it was Rey, it was different.

"Well, if Rey likes it…"

Poe tossed an empty porg nest at Finn's head. Finn ducked, still laughing. "Don't think I didn't see you and Jannah," he countered. "When did that start?"

Finn straightened, his laugh melting away into a huff. "Since when are we talking about me?"

"Since now. Spill." They didn't have anything to do until Rey sent them the go ahead. Poe was more than willing to spend that time needling his friend. Honestly, he was happy for Finn. Just like the rest of them, he deserved to be happy.

Finn sighed, but he told the story again. Part of him still had trouble believing it. Caring about someone like he cared about Jannah was still very new; he had no clue what he was doing. But he'd also never connected with someone the way he connected with her either. Back at the base, she understood exactly what he felt when he talked about Operation Python, the terror, the disgust at the things they'd been asked to do. She centered him when he felt like he was spiraling out of control.

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean," Poe said, when Finn mentioned that. "It's nice to have someone to lean on." As leaders, they had to be strong for everyone around them; Rey was the person he could confide his deepest fears to. She understood him, as few people ever had.

"Yeah."

Poe was about to say something else when his comm beeped. "That's Rey."

"They in place?"

"Seems so. Let's go." The pair exited the Falcon and moved silently through the hangar. They saw no one, but that didn't stop the prickle of excitement slide down Poe's spine. _This_ was the sort of thing he was good at. When he had a clear cut mission, he could focus. A sweep of the palace's security feeds showed that Armas was still in the building; he would be expected to be present for the opening negotiation between Naboo and the fledgling new Council.

Their mission was to flush out their quarry and capture him before he caused anymore trouble. Rey was with the Queen, acting as her personal bodyguard should things go south. In his experience, things almost _always _went south.

The corridors were quiet as they made their way back toward the where the party had been held. The formal meeting had started without them; Poe knew Beph wouldn't be happy about that. He didn't really care all that much; he had more important problems then Beph's ego. He still wasn't happy about what the man had implied about Rey; frankly, it was insulting.

Servants were still cleaning up when they entered. "General Dameron! General Finn! They've already begun," one of the older men scolded.

"We know. Just…keep it down," Poe muttered.

The man started, surprised. "Is something amiss, sir?"

"Something like that." Poe turned to Finn; something niggled at the back of his mind. On a hunch, he decided to change the plan slightly. "Alright, one of us needs to go in there." If they'd timed it right, Rey and Reva should already be there, waiting. "I think you should do it, Finn."

"Me? Why?"

"Because…you're more likely to keep your cool. Plus, it'll piss off Beph, which is a bonus." Poe really wanted to get Armas himself; the man tried to kill Rey. Poe wouldn't rest until he was locked up. "Just remember the signal, okay?"

"Right."

Now all Poe had to do was wait.

* * *

Rey's brow furrowed slightly when she saw Finn enter the room. Where was Poe? She reached out into the Force; he was nearby. Watching the exits in case Armas tried to bolt? She hoped so. The man in question hovered in a far corner; if Rey hadn't seen the security footage with her own eyes, she might not have believed he was their suspect. Around her age, he had dirty blonde hair and pale blue eyes; it appeared he was attempting to grow a beard, but it was patchy and rough. Generally unremarkable, with his slightly hunched shoulders and fidgeting hands, he was trying to keep a low profile. But if they were right, this was the man who tried to kill her.

The real question was why?

Poe believed it was her status as the last Jedi. That certainly made sense. If they knew her true lineage they'd probably try to _recruit _her, not kill her. Kylo Ren had tried repeatedly to turn her to the Dark Side; her grandfather had as well. It certainly was a part of her; she couldn't deny that. But she refused to let it define her. She _chose_ light. She chose love and hope and light.

"Nice of you to finally join us, General," the fake Queen murmured.

Finn nodded to Rey as he approached the table. _Poe's safe._ Rey nodded back, hearing his message loud and clear. "Apologies, Your Highness. I lost track of time during my inspection of your civil defense base."

"And General Dameron?" Beph demanded. "He was _here_ just a short time ago."

"We received a communication from Commander Connix about trouble on Dantooine," Finn shot back. "It's a big galaxy, Beph."

That seemed to mollify the man. "Shall we return to the matter at hand?"

"Wait." It was Darri, speaking as the Queen. Rey really had to look hard to spot the differences between her and the woman who stood a little way behind her. Reva appeared to be a simple soldier; no one paid her any mind. Darri's hair was the same color, but her eyes were _slightly _closer together, her nose a _slightly_ different shape. The resemblance was uncanny if you didn't know the truth. Darri turned to Finn. "Was everything satisfactory, General?"

Rey tightened her grip on her lightsaber under her cloak. "What does that matter?" Beph asked. "That's not what this meeting is about. With all due respect, of course."

Darri's smile was brittle. "Of course. You are a guest here, Ambassador. I have been working closely with General Finn for several weeks and trust his judgment. If I am to make the most informed decision, I should hear all opinions about the state of our defenses, shouldn't I?"

Beph seemed surprised to be cowed by such a young woman. "Yes, yes, of course, Your Highness. Forgive me."

Rey smothered a grin; she wished Poe could see this. He would enjoy taking Beph down a few pegs.

"Your highness," Curke cut in. Rey's eyes darted to the old man, wary. Did he know about the attempt on her life? Did he order it? Curke had made his dislike of the Resistance clear, but he'd seemingly come around in the last few days. A front? She could see why Poe hated this sort of thing so much. Even with the Force, she had trouble reading the situation.

"Yes?"

"Perhaps we should wait for General Dameron?"

"Why?" Finn snapped. "You've had a problem with me since I arrived, Curke! Poe and I carry equal rank."

"Councilor, if you have a problem with General Finn, then I suggest you absent yourself from these proceedings," Darri said smoothly. "And I should reconsider your place on the Council."

Curke's eyes widened, horrified. He clapped his mouth shut, but Rey noticed how all his aides suddenly became tense. The Queen allowed that to hang over the room for a moment, then she turned her attention back to Finn. "You were saying, General?"

"Thank you, Your Highness." Finn appeared calm, collected; Rey was proud of him. He took very well to his role as general; she thought he would be a fantastic Jedi one day, if he chose. "As you know our troopers have been working closely with your defense forces, sharing information, cross training. It has been beneficial to both sides. I am grateful for your hospitality. However, as you know there was an incident at the base a few days ago."

"Incident? What incident?" Beph asked, surprised. "Why weren't we informed?"

"Because you didn't need to know. We don't work for you, Beph."

Other voices spoke up, but Rey had enough. "Someone tried to kill me," she said loud enough for all to hear.

"That's ludicrous!" Curke cried. "Who would try to kill a Jedi? It's madness!"

"Are you sure you're not protesting too much, Curke?" Finn sneered.

"Now see here!" Curke spluttered, but Rey wasn't looking at him. There was a figure at the back of the crowd of aides, trying to sneak off undetected. She was up in a flash, her chair screeching against the marble floor. The dark figure broke into a run, shoving people out of the way. Reva was right beside her, blaster drawn. There were shouts, panicked feet as most of the other dignitaries tried to flee or hide under the massive table. Other guards tried to make sense of the chaos, but they didn't know their target. Rey did.

She leaped over one of the overturned chairs, using the Force to propel her forward as she ignited her saber. She was nearly there, almost to the door! She saw her quarry turn, his eyes huge as he took her in. Then his face hardened, and he drew his blaster. He fired in her direction; Rey had to slow down half a step to deflect each bolt. They careened off her saber, hitting the floor, the wall, the ceiling. When she didn't stop following, Armas raised his blaster higher, shooting at a couple of the rafters. "Reva!" Rey called, catching the Queen by the hand at the last second and yanking her back. Reva raised her own blaster and shot toward where Armas had disappeared, as wood and plaster hit the ground.

"I'm fine," she panted. "Find him, Rey!"

Rey hesitated for another second (she was supposed to be protecting the Queen), but the best way to do that was to get their quarry. She dashed off, picking her way through the debris as quickly as the Force would allow her. She let it in fully, allowing it to guide her movements, her instincts. She knew Poe was out here somewhere, hopefully ready for just a turn of events.

A blaster bolt hurdled in her direction; she deflected it easily. Three more in quick succession had her saber moving in a blur of yellow light. She spotted a dark figure turn a corner; it had to be Armas. Another figure was running _toward_ her from the opposite direction, blaster at the ready, but angled slightly downward. "Poe!"

"I take things didn't go quite as planned," he called, turning the corner just before she did.

"Something like that," she replied.

"He's trying to get a ship. We can't let that happen."

"So, we won't." Rey heard the alarm being raised, but she knew there wouldn't be enough time for the palace guards to stop anyone from leaving. She and Poe were on their own.

"Come on, this way." Poe's hand was steady as he led them toward the service lift he knew led to the hangar. It was a short cut the pilots used; he doubted Armas even knew it existed. "When this thing stops, I want you to take point, distract him."

"What will you do?"

"Hopefully get around behind him before he realizes you're not alone."

The situation was tense, fraught with things that could go wrong, but she was glad that she and Poe were together. "Be careful."

His grin was far too charming for the seriousness of the situation. "Always."

A couple of seconds later the lift opened; Rey raised her saber defensively as she stepped out. The Falcon was out on the landing pad; the only other ships in the hangar were handful of fighters and Beph's emissary shuttle. She placed herself between the main doors and the ships, reaching out with the Force. So far, it seemed she and Poe were alone in the hangar. Had Poe been wrong? Did Armas have a different escape route?

All doubt evaporated at the main blast doors opened. Armas wasn't even looking forward at first, clearly checking to see if he'd lost his pursuers. Rey was about to shout when a body came flying out of nowhere; it was Poe, tackling Armas to the ground! They landed with a loud thump, Armas crying out as the breath left his lungs. The two men struggled and kicked; Armas got the upper hand for a moment, causing Poe to lose his grip on his blaster. While he scrambled for it, Armas pushed himself up, now with a noticeable limp. He shot at Poe's back; Rey reached out with the Force at the last second and stopped both shots in midair.

Poe was slightly dazed, but he'd had worse. He probably had a couple of bruised ribs too. His mind was struggling to keep up, but he heard the shots. He snatched his blaster off the ground and turned, only to find two angry red streaks frozen in the air. Rey's hand was outstretched, her brow furrowed in concentration. Poe rolled away as quickly as he could, barely believing what he was seeing. He'd seen Kylo Ren do something similar, a long time ago. A moment later the bolts unfroze and harmlessly hit the floor where he'd just been.

He saw Armas running toward one of the instrument panels; Poe shot at it three times in rapid succession, disabling it. Their quarry shot at random, trying to lay down some covering fire for his next attempt to obtain a ship. Poe stayed low, moving between the piles of crates, disabling every instrument panel he could find. He trusted that Rey would take care of the man himself.

Once she was sure Poe was safe, Rey turned her attention back to Armas. Dashing from ship to ship, he was growing desperate. She kept him in her sights, saber raised. The hangar only had one exterior exit; she had to find the panel for the outer doors, then he would be trapped. More shots rang out; she blocked them all with her saber. She caught sight of Armas making a mad dash for Beph's shuttle; she threw her lightsaber in his path, careening past him and into one of the support struts for the open gangway. Armas shrieked and stumbled, trying to avoid the sparks and melting metal.

Her feet carried her closer and closer; she summoned her saber. She could have used the Force to stop him in his tracks, but she knew all too well what that felt like, to be that helpless. She didn't think the Force should be used like that; she would only do it as a last resort. In this case, Armas was stumbling and frightened by her display of power; just as he tried to get up, she pointed the yellow blade at his throat. "Stay. Down."

Poe struggled to his feet; his ribs definitely hurt. He kept his blaster drawn though, just in case the man got twitchy. "I'd listen to the lady if I were you," he said, trying to sound casual, but it came out more pained.

Rey turned her head slightly; Poe shrank back slightly at the ire in her eyes. "You and I are having a talk later, General."

"Look, I know you're mad, sweetheart…"

"Save it, Poe." She was furious that he'd gone off script and tried to take Armas on himself. Granted, no real harm had been done, but he'd nearly gotten shot in the back! He was too important to just go around taking the same crazy chances he always did. She was the Jedi; she was the target of the assassin. It was _her _responsibility.

"Sunshine…"

"Not. Now."

Poe decided discretion was the better part of valor in that moment. While Rey kept the would be assassin at saber point, he searched for some binders. He found a pair in one of the storage cubes and brought it over to where Armas knelt in front of Rey. He ignored the pain in his ribs as he holstered his blaster and yanked the assassin to his feet. The man grunted in pain as Poe bound his hands behind his back, allowing Rey to finally lower her saber.

They were heading back toward the lift when the doors from the palace opened. Reva and Finn led the charge; everyone came up short when they caught sight of Rey and Poe. "Are you guys alright?" Finn asked.

"We're fine," Poe said. In his case, it was a tiny fib, but he didn't think Finn would mind. "Not sure I can say the same for him."

"Your highness!" Armas cried, his voice cracking. "I am loyal, I swear!"

Reva's young face was stern. "Lundam Armas, you are under arrest for attempted murder and espionage," she said clearly. She was still dressed as a soldier, but no one around her questioned her authority. A platoon of Naboo palace guards approached to take him away.

"Wait," Finn said, holding up a hand. He turned to Reva. "Reva, there's something we need to check first." The Queen nodded, giving her permission. "Show me your arm, your left arm."

They had to unbind him for that; Poe's hand drifted to his blaster. Finn grabbed the man's wrist and yanked back the fabric of his jacket and shirt. The skin of Armas' inner wrist looked almost melted, but it was red and raw, like it had happened recently. "What used to be here?" Finn demanded. "Tell me!"

Armas's face transformed from frightened to arrogant. Cornered, he must have decided to drop the act. "What kind of idiot do you take me for?"

Rey pushed her way through. "Here, let me."

"Rey…" Poe said worriedly.

"It's okay." She was still angry with him, but she gave him a reassuring smile. She wasn't going to dig into Armas' thoughts; she only needed to see one image. She covered the scarring with her hand and reached into the Force. _Show me the past_. She breathed deeply, just like when she meditated and waited. It didn't take long; in her mind's eye, the scar melted away and revealed a glyph. One she'd seen before though she didn't know what it meant. She could sense the evil intent behind it though. She let go of Armas abruptly, not needing to see anymore.

"What did you see?"

Rey found a holopad; her fingers moved in swift strokes. "I saw this. Finn, is this the mark you spoke of?"

Finn inhaled sharply, nodding. "Yep, that's it."

Poe got between Armas and Rey. "Who are you working for? Who wants Rey dead?"

Armas refused to be baited. "The First Order will rise again!"

Reva nodded to her guards; they hauled Armas away. "You won't get anything out of him," she said to Poe. "He's a fanatic."

"We need _something _to go on! He tried to kill Rey, for Force sake!"

"And we will, but you must be patient."

"Patience is not his strong suit," Finn said. "I kinda agree with Poe. Someone ordered Operation Python to take out Rey. Armas won't be the last."

"Who knows who else is a target," Poe added. "You could be as well, Your Highness."

"I appreciate your concern, Poe. I promise that all of our resources are at your disposal."

"Ours as well." Everyone looked up; Rey was surprised to see Beph standing nearby. He looked shaken but determined. "I know what I saw tonight. The galaxy needs you, all of you." He nodded at Rey, Poe and Finn. "I apologize for my earlier skepticism. I will do all in my power to formalize relations between the ruling council and the Resistance. Will you consent to serve?"

"We promised to serve until the galaxy is at peace," Poe said, even though the very idea made him weary. "After that, we'll talk again."

* * *

The lights were dim; Poe fumbled for a pad on the wall. When the lights flickered on, Rey was almost exactly where he expected her to be, floating several inches above their bed, mediating. At least, he hoped she was meditating. After what happened in the hangar, he opted to give her some space, hoping her anger would cool. He spent the last several hours with Finn going through Armas' personal affects, trying to find some answers. At first, he spotted Rey helping clean up in the hangar, but after a while she disappeared. He could sense that she was still upset with him, so he let her be.

As long as she was safe, he was happy.

"Anything?" she asked, her eyes still closed.

"No." Poe was exhausted, but he knew they needed to talk. He didn't have a good explanation for why he did what he did, nothing beyond a need to hurt the man who'd tried to kill the woman he loved. She was right to be upset. "But Rose is working with the techs here to see if any secret transmissions were made."

"That's good." Rey finally opened her eyes and gently lowered herself to the bed. She was barefoot, dressed in her loose fitting sleepwear, her chestnut hair falling around her face in waves. Even though he sensed she was still a bit angry, he still found her breathtakingly beautiful.

"Listen, Rey…"

She stopped in front of him, a finger to his lips. "I need you to answer a question for me."

"Okay."

"What the _hell_ were you thinking? What happened to me distracting him?"

He might have felt better if she shouted. Her voice was steady, but he saw a glimmer of the fear he'd put her through in her eyes. "I wasn't thinking," he said truthfully. "All I knew was that he tried to hurt you and I knew I couldn't give him another chance." He reached for her hands, thankful that she allowed him to cradle them in his. "The things I've seen you do…I _know_ you can handle yourself, Rey. Hell, you saved my life. Again. Which probably wouldn't have needed saving if I'd stuck to the plan." He smiled, cheered when her lips quirked as she fought a smile. "I know all of that, but I'd still spare you any more pain, if I can."

Rey's anger had cooled considerably since they captured Armas. It melted even further at his words. She'd never had anyone care so deeply for her before. "It was still foolish and reckless."

He grinned. "Hi, I'm Poe Dameron. Have we met? Foolish and Reckless are my middle names, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes. "I guess we're both still figuring out this part."

He nodded. "I guess we are." This would not be the last time their lives were in danger; he was sure of that. "But hey, _you_ caught the bad guy, Sunshine. I just helped a little."

"If by helped you mean got roughed up, then yes."

He sighed. "I know. I'm no match for a Jedi."

Rey frowned. "That's not what I meant." She threaded their fingers together and squeezed. "Poe, we're both fighters, you know that. It was different…before. Before us."

"Truthfully, as much as I wanted you out there with us, the idea of you in danger never sat well with me. It still doesn't, but neither of us knows when to back away from a fight, do we?"

"I've been fighting my whole life, Poe. It's all I know." Her relationship with Poe was really the first time she felt any kind of security. She was afraid of losing that, of losing _him._

"And I've been fighting far longer than I ever expected," he murmured. "Almost my whole adult life. I saw the Emperor's fleet be destroyed with my own eyes, but it's not over. Sometimes it feels like it never will be." Part of him thrived on the action, but the rest of him was just tired. Now that he and Rey were together, he wanted other things. Marriage, a home of their own, a family—in whatever form they chose.

His confession broke her heart. She kissed his forehead. "That's no way for a general to talk," she said gently.

"How about a weary soldier?"

"Everything going to be okay, Poe. As long as we take care of each other, we'll be okay." She mediated for hours, trying to see the future. Leia used to tell her that the Force could reveal many things, past, present, future. But she didn't need the Force to tell her what she already knew. Poe was her future, and she was his.

Poe pulled her into a hug, her unique scent bringing him some peace. "I'm forgiven?"

"On one condition."

Poe quirked a brow at her, curious. "And that is?"

For the first time since his arrival, her hazel eyes lit up. She smiled as they dropped to his lips. Poe realized her intention a second before her lips covered his. Kissing her felt like coming home, her lips warm and soft. She kissed him slowly, backing off every time he tried to deepen it. She smiled breathlessly every time, her hands sliding around his neck. Poe held her by the waist, the last coherent corner of his mind wondering what she was up to. "Rey?"

"Do you trust me?" she whispered.

"Always, Sunshine."

She kissed the shell of his ear. "Because I think the general needs a lesson in following orders."

Her breath was hot on his skin, her lithe form pressed against him. He swallowed heavily, her implication clear. "What sort of lesson?"

She'd never done anything like this before, so she hoped he would indulge her a little. "One you'll remember fondly, I hope."

He smiled. "How can I say no to that?" Suddenly, he wasn't the least bit tired; he wanted to see what she would do. He loved being the person she trusted enough for this.

"You have to do everything I say," she said, trying to sound stern. "Think you can do that?"

"You'll just have to see." He knew she would make it a challenge and Poe never backed down from a challenge.

"Kiss me."

Poe didn't hesitate, his mouth sliding over hers. She had to grip his biceps to stay upright; all the emotions from the last few hours seemed to pour out him all at once. It had been quite the evening, with Beph and the Queen, the adrenaline from capturing the assassin, fear, love, jealousy, anger. Rey clung to him, warmth flowing through her as her lover kissed her senseless.

Eventually, they needed to break for air, but Poe kept his forehead pressed to hers. She stole more kisses from his lips, needing to be close. Tonight would not be the last close call they had; for her, this was an affirmation that they were still alive, still happy. Gently, she pushed him backwards until his knees hit the lone chair in the room. It was much plusher than anything they had on the Falcon or back in the quarters on Ajan Kloss. "Sit."

Poe did so, his eyes following her. She moved behind him and reached down, deftly plucking open the buttons of his shirt. He swallowed again, his heart thumping hard in his chest. Rey finished her task and tugged the tails out of his pants. Poe shrugged the fabric off; Rey tossed it aside. Her lips caressed the base of his neck; a groan caught in his throat. "Rey…"

She smoothed her hands along his broad shoulders, admiring his bronze skin. Even here, there were a couple of faint scars. "Just relax," she whispered. She recalled her earlier promise of a massage; she intended to deliver. "Can you do that for me?"

"Is that all?"

"For now." Poe nodded, closing his eyes. He couldn't recall the last time anyone had tried to take care of him like this; he couldn't believe it, not after how he'd acted. He didn't deserve someone like Rey.

Rey started with his scalp, running her fingers through his thick curls over and over until they were a riotous mess. She couldn't help but smile; she loved his curls, almost like silk against her skin. Poe leaned back, biting back another moan as—slowly—the tension started to leak out of his body. Her touch was firm, not too hard, as she worked out the tension. For the first time a long time, Poe allowed his mind to drift, to simply soak in the sensations.

Rey ran the pads of her thumbs up and down his neck; she smiled to herself as he sighed softly. He was stubborn and reckless and perhaps sometimes enjoyed trouble a little too much, but he was hers. Poe grunted when she found a particularly stubborn knot in his shoulder; she paused. "Too much?"

"No, I'm good. I didn't even know that was there."

Rey resumed her task, kneading until the muscle unknotted and he sighed in pleasure. "Better?"

"Much, thank you, Sunshine." He felt better than he had in days; she seemed to have some sort of magic touch. She appeared in front of him, looking very pleased with herself. Her eyes flickered over him, almost appraising. He was about to say something when she climbed into the chair and straddled his lap. Her lips were on his before he could think, her tongue sliding into his mouth. Poe kissed her back enthusiastically, but he tried to let her set the pace. He was supposed to be following instructions, after all.

Rey leaned closer and closer, eager to have him as close as possible. Every hot slide of his tongue against hers was molten; desire pooled in her belly. She didn't know what sort of spell he had on her, but she needed him. She needed this.

The kiss broke as Poe winced. "Ow."

Rey sat up, instantly worried. "What? What hurts?"

"My ribs, but it's nothing." Rey frowned, already sliding off his lap. Sure, his ribs were a bit sore, but he liked her right where she was. "Sunshine, I'm really okay. Just got kicked a little too hard."

She knelt between his legs and gently explored his ribcage with her fingertips. When she saw his jaw tighten, she knew she'd found the right spot, on his left side. "Poe."

"I'm _fine_. Believe me, I've been hurt worse than this. You've seen me. Can't we just get back to our lesson? I was enjoying that." He flashed her a grin, hoping she would stop fussing.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

"Because it's _nothing._ It might bruise in a few hours. It doesn't even hurt that much." He hadn't even thought about it until Rey's leg accidentally pressed against him. He was having too much fun with her in his lap, kissing him like he was everything. "Besides, you'll only want to heal me, and we've talked about this."

"And I told you that I'll use my life force how I want," she said, her jaw set. "So, lean back."

"Sweetheart…"

"You would do it for me," she said quietly. "If you could. Why is this different?"

He didn't have a good answer. Not one she would accept. She was every bit as stubborn as he was. "Rey…"

She pressed a featherlight kiss to his injured ribs, her lips warm and soft. She didn't stop, brushing more kisses over his ribs and belly, distracting him. He knew exactly what she was trying to do; he was helpless to resist her. She didn't need the Force to make him do anything. All she had to do was look at him like _that_; he was putty in her hands. "Okay," he breathed. "Okay."

Rey smiled up at him. "See? That's wasn't so hard."

"I'm getting you back for this," he murmured playfully. "One day."

Rey chuckled, as Poe leaned back in the chair. She carefully laid her hand over his injury and closed her eyes. She'd done this several times now; this would be quick. She felt the Force inside her, almost humming; she sent a bit from it from her to him. His skin was unmarked, but she felt his injury knit itself back together. "All done."

Poe sat up, the discomfort gone. He couldn't help but be in awe of her, even though he hated that she'd wasted something so precious on him. At some point, he needed to do some serious research on what exactly her healing ability entailed; he didn't want her putting herself at unnecessary risk, just for him. She was far more important than he was. "Thank you, mi amor," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

She sighed into his kiss; she needed him there with her, healthy and whole. "What does that mean?"

"'My love' in Yavinese," he replied, grinning. Her smile made his heart beat faster. She kissed him again, her hands planted firmly on his chest. Poe sank his fingers in her hair, angling her head to deepen the kiss. She let him, needing him as much as he needed her. Kissing him was always heady, intoxicating, but this was _different_. She'd healed him before, but this was _different._ They seemed to melt together, making them one mind, one flesh, one _soul._

Rey broke the kiss long enough to climb back into her lover's lap, leaving them perched somewhat awkwardly on the edge. It didn't matter, their mouths fused together in another passionate kiss. Poe's hands slid up under her nightshirt; Rey shivered. "You're getting bold, General," she whispered.

"I thought you liked me that way," he growled, palming her breasts.

Rey bit back a groan. "You promised to follow orders."

"So, give one, Jedi," he countered.

Rey crossed her arms and dragged her shirt over her head. She was bare beneath it; her ring rested perfectly between her pert breasts. Her fingers encircled his wrists and tugged his hands free. "Mouth only," she said, more heat pooling between her legs. Poe looked like he wanted to devour her; part of her wanted to let him. Simply let go and allow him to have his way with her. Yet she was intrigued by the power he was giving her. No mind tricks, no restraints, just _her_.

Poe wet his lips, eager to do her bidding. He kissed the swell of each breast, his scruff scratching against the delicate skin. Rey moaned, her back arching slightly. Poe took advantage, taking one taut nipple into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it, pausing to suck every few swipes. Rey squirmed in his lap; he could feel the growing heat between her legs.

He couldn't touch, but that didn't mean she couldn't. Rey carded her fingers through his mess of curls, exerting just enough pressure to keep him where she wanted him. "Gods," she breathed, another wave of arousal flooding her core. There was no way to ease the pressure from her perch on his lap, but she didn't want him to stop.

Poe tightened his grip on the arms of the chair; he had to fight the urge to touch her. She loved his hands on her body; he was curious how long she could last. She was already flushed and panting, writhing in his lap. She was slowly driving him crazy, but he enjoyed her pleasure. He enjoyed making his Jedi come undone, over and over and over. He switched his attention, latching on to her other breast. He sucked _hard_; Rey keened, her blunt nails scratching his scalp.

"_Kriff_, Poe," she panted, her hips trying to grind against him. She couldn't quite find the right angle; it was so frustrating! She wet her lips, breathing another curse as he continued to worship her with his mouth. Finally, she could take it no longer; she shoved the fabric of her leggings over her hips and fumbled for Poe's right hand. "Make me come. _Now."_

Poe flashed her a triumphant smile, then he hastened to obey. He resumed his worship of her stiffened peaks, moving from one to the other, back and forth. She held on to his shoulders for support as he slipped his hand between her legs; he could feel the heat radiating off her slick sex. Rey moaned softly when he found her swollen clit, working it rough circles. She moved instinctively, grinding against his hand, seeking her climax. Already so close, it wasn't long until she was trembling, hovering on the edge of bliss. Poe slid his hand deeper, sinking two fingers into her. Rey climaxed almost instantly, his name on her lips as wave after wave of bliss seized her. Poe drank her in, his beautiful Jedi. Tendrils of damp hair framed her face; her hazel eyes were half closed and unfocused.

"I love you," he whispered, his lips brushing the spot where her heart still raced.

Rey whimpered at the loss of his touch, but she remedied that by kissing him. "Love you too." They kissed lazily until her heart slowed to a more normal rhythm, then she surprised him by slithering off his lap. Rey peeled her leggings off and tossed them aside. Not long ago, she might have felt self-conscious about her nudity, but Poe always made her feel safe and loved. Her lips quirked in a naughty grin as she dropped her to her knees once more and reached for his boots. Poe watched as she slowly stripped him of his remaining clothes, all while wondering exactly what she could have in mind.

Rey dropped his pants in the pile of clothing, turning her attention back to her handsome pilot. It was definitely nice to no longer have to hide how attracted she was to him. He often said she was beautiful, but she found him to be a work of art. Gently, she reached out, her fingers caressing some of the scars that marked his bronze skin. She lavished the ribs she healed with kisses, her lips sliding down further along the V of his hips. Poe sucked in deep breaths, each gentle _loving_ touch more arousing than the last. She touched him everywhere, except where he needed her the most. He bit his lip as her warm breath occasionally skimmed over his aching cock, but he didn't dare ask for anything.

Rey felt the tension in his body, the need building under the surface. She liked that she had that affect on him. Poe could have anyone he wanted, but he chose _her. _He loved her. His deep groan of satisfaction when she finally ran her tongue along the length of his erection was music to her ears. "Good?"

Poe let out a strained chuckle. "You can do anything you want to me, Sunshine. _Kriff,_ I just need you."

Rey waited until his eyes locked with hers. "No touching," she admonished. "Can you do that?"

"I guess we'll see." He usually couldn't keep his hands off her; this would be a test, one he was eager to pass. He knew she wouldn't make it easy, but he loved that about her. He didn't want easy; he wanted _her._

Rey started slow, caressing every inch of his cock with her lips and tongue. He was like velvety hot steel in her hand, as she stroked what she couldn't get into her mouth. Poe jerked as she sucked the swollen head, his hips thrusting into her mouth. "Kriffing hell," he cursed, gripping the chair tighter. "Sorry."

"It's okay." She'd been a little surprised, but his clear need fueled her own arousal. She could feel slickness sliding between her legs; she couldn't wait until he was inside her again. To prove that she wasn't fazed, she took him between her lips once more, deeper this time. She felt him throbbing against her tongue as she licked up and down his shaft; she tasted the salty precum. This was becoming one of her favorite things; she couldn't get enough of all the sounds he made. Poe couldn't seem to keep still, his hips thrusting upward almost every time she sucked him down. Rey didn't seem to mind, moving with him, until he was practically quivering with the need to come. It tingled at the base of his spine, so close, but he refused to give in.

"Rey…Sunshine," he gasped. This time he brushed the back of her throat and he groaned loudly. "Not like this. _Please."_

She released him with a soft pop; her lover looked utterly _wrecked._ The cords in his neck stood out; he was faintly trembling. His chest rose and fell in harsh pants; his curls were disheveled. He licked his lips, leaning his head back against the chair. Rey covered his hands with hers; his knuckles were white. He'd been good, obeying her with whatever she asked. Perhaps it was time to reward him? "How do you want me?"

Poe could hardly think straight, besides, he didn't want to ruin her fun. "You choose."

"Okay." She stood, taking his hand in hers. Poe rose on shaky legs, following her to their bed. She urged him to sit on the edge and lay back. Before she could overthink it, she straddled his lap, facing away from him. Poe groaned as her slick sex slid over his shaft. Rey rolled her hips back and forth, her eyes falling shut as he rubbed her just right. "Mmmm."

Poe braced himself on his elbows, watching her as she ground against him. She was utterly mesmerizing, her back arching in pleasure, her ass begging for his hands. This was a view he wouldn't get tired of any time soon. "Sweetheart…"

She could feel him; he craved the same connection she did. Rey angled her hips just enough to allow him to push inside; a low moan tumbled from her lips. "Yes," she breathed, leaning back to brace her hands on his chest. He felt incredible inside her, hard and thick and perfect.

Poe fell back against the bed, panting for air. It was almost too much. She was _hot _and _slick _and_ tight_ around him; they fit together like they were made for each other. Nothing had never felt like this, nothing except her. This position didn't allow for much movement, not that it mattered. Rey rolled and circled her hips, each small frisson of friction like a shock to her system. Her years of scavenging and climbing gave her strength in her lower body; she used it, bouncing on his cock. Sighs, moans and gasps filled the air; pressure built once more in her core. "Poe, so good."

"You're so kriffing perfect," he panted, reaching for her. She hadn't given him permission, but he didn't care. He needed to touch her. She gasped as he squeezed the globes of her ass between his fingers. "All mine."

Rey sat up straighter, one hand on his knee for balance. She had one more order for him. "Don't come yet," she breathed. "Soon, but not yet." Her other hand hurried to her swollen nub, stroking it firmly. It didn't take long for her to get to the edge; Poe groaned as her walls began to flutter. He had to run his preflight checklist through his head over and over to keep from following her into bliss as she fell apart in his lap. Her whole body trembled and shook; she squeezed his length tightly.

"Rey, Rey, Rey," he panted. He _needed_ to come, but he didn't want to disappoint her. Poe forced himself up, looping one arm around her waist. Rey let out a half whine, half giggle as he flipped her onto the bed. He kissed her deeply, swallowing her laugh. "Tell me I can have you, Sunshine. Kriff, I need you so damn much."

She dragged his mouth back to hers, still in awe of the passion she invoked for him. No one had ever felt that way about her; she couldn't imagine sharing this kind of intimacy with anyone but Poe. She only _wanted_ him. "Need you too."

He twisted her hips slightly so he could straddle her leg. He didn't need to test her readiness; she was slick and swollen from her previous orgasms. Poe rested her other leg over his hip as he sank into her, taking her in a single stroke. Rey gasped, full once more. She'd driven him nearly to the breaking point; Poe didn't disappoint her, bracing himself over her as he rode her with deep hard strokes. It felt like he was trying to imprint himself on her body, the way he already had her heart.

"Gods, you feel so good," he breathed. "I'm close, sweetheart, so close."

She kissed his forehead. "It's okay. It's okay."

But Poe was determined. He reached down and found her clit. Rey gasped, the nub already overstimulated. Her lover didn't stop, using his knowledge of her body to drag one final shattering climax from her. Her fingertips dug into his biceps with bruising force as she screamed; Poe allowed her clenching walls to drag him over the edge. Pleasure seemed to flow from her to him and back as he pulsed and throbbed inside her; nothing felt better than this, not even flying.

Rey felt him collapse beside her, but she was too overwhelmed to speak. Her lover snuggled up behind her; a faint smile tugged at her lips. She hummed happily, threading her fingers with his.

"Are you okay?" Poe breathed, kissing her bare shoulder.

"Mmhmm," she confirmed, eyes still closed. She would need to get cleaned up soon, but she liked being wrapped up with Poe more.

He could feel the exhaustion start to creep up on him, but he didn't want to sleep yet. "We're okay?"

How could he think she was still angry? "I'd say don't do anything like that again, but we both know that's an impossible promise."

"For both of us, I think."

She couldn't argue with that. The next time it could be her placing herself in harm's way unnecessarily. "We could at least try," she murmured, fighting a yawn.

"Deal." Poe leaned over and kissed her cheek. "As much as I'd love to keep holding you, you should get cleaned up."

She sighed. "Be right back."

Poe waited until she'd slipped into the fresher (her legs were still a bit shaky, which filled him with pride) before turning down their bed. He was fighting to stay awake when she returned. "You didn't have to stay awake for me," she mumbled.

Poe slipped his arms around her as she snuggled into his chest. "Y-y-yeah, I did."

"It's been a long day."

"Filled with excitement and espionage and queens in disguise," he agreed. "Just another day for the leaders of the Resistance."

There were still so many questions. Who was Armas working for? Was Operation Python still active? Why did they want her dead? Was she the only target? Could Poe be a target? Finn? Leia had advised her to keep the people she cared about close to her, that they would help guide her. She hated the idea of them being in danger, but even she had to admit they were strongest together. She was so tired, but her mind took a long time to slow down. Long after Poe fell asleep, she ran the developments of the day through her mind, seeking some sort of clue. She was still thinking about it when she finally succumbed to exhaustion.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note:** I hope everyone is staying sane during all this madness! Please stay healthy! Since we all have more time on our hands, I have an update! Woot! Enjoy! (Also, see if you can spot the reference to Galaxy's Edge!)

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, no.

**Chapter 11**

"We have to go."

The beautiful dark haired woman looked pleadingly at the man who'd spoken. "I don't think I can do this."

"We can't stay, we've been over this. What have to protect her."

Rey clung to the woman's skirt, confused and afraid. She watched as a tear slid down her mother's cheek. Her parents woke her abruptly one night—how long ago she couldn't remember—and dragged her onto a ship. They'd been hopping from ship to ship, spaceport to spaceport, for days now. Her mother's hair had gone from a sunshine yellow to dark brown. Her father was constantly looking over his shoulder, shushing Rey if she drew too much attention. At first, it had been exciting, but Rey was so tired! She just wanted to stay in one place!

"We'll be back for her," her father said, though he didn't sound convinced. "We just have to throw him off the scent."

Her mother clutched Rey tighter, so tight it almost hurt. "You don't believe that. How can we leave her?"

"Because if we _don't, _my father…" He trailed off, balling his fist. "You don't know what he'll do to her."

"This is our _child_."

"The more time we spend arguing, the closer he becomes. This is the only way."

After a long beat, her mother nodded. Rey still didn't understand what was happening; her mother knelt in front of her and hugged her tight. "We're coming back for you, my darling," she whispered. "I promise."

Her father hugged them both, sniffling. "Be good for Unkar," he said. "He'll take care of you."

Rey's chin wobbled; she looked from one to the other. "Where are we going? Why can't we stay?"

"You are staying, darling. Papa and I have to go, but we'll be back." Her mother nodded to someone; a wet slimy hand wrapped around Rey's arm.

Rey instantly started to struggle. "No. _NO! _Come back!" she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. _"COME BACK!"_ But it was no use; her parents turned and hurried away. The strange alien kept a firm grip even as Rey fought and kicked with all her might. Her parents were leaving without her! She had to get to them! She felt something build inside her; she gave the slimy alien an almighty kick. He released her in a howl of pain; Rey dashed off like a shot. The crowd was thick; she couldn't see! She darted between people and aliens, desperate for some glimpse of her parents. She could hear the alien who'd tried to take her yelling, but she ignored him. She was almost to the edge of the outpost, near the ships. That had to be where they were going!

Rey hurried through the market; she was almost there! She left a trail of people and aliens grumbling in her wake, but she didn't care. All that mattered was getting to her parents before they left without her. "Mama! Papa!" she screamed. "Don't leave me!"

When she got to the edge of the crowd, she froze. She looked around frantically; they had to be here somewhere! Yes! There! She spotted her mother's scarf; Rey dashed after her.

She was about to leap out when something stopped her. She didn't understand what it was; it was like she was frozen. She hovered near the edge of a crate; her mother turned her head, locking eyes with her only daughter. Rey saw her mother shake her head, just a fraction. Her eyes widened as she realized her parents were being held at blaster point.

"Where's the girl?" a different alien demanded. This one was a pale yellow, almost green, with small beady black eyes. He radiated menace; Rey could feel it from here. "He wants the girl!"

"She's not on Jakku," her mother spat. "She's _gone."_

"Then you're useless to me." The alien took out a dagger and stabbed her father in the stomach. Her mother screamed; Rey fought desperately against the strange force holding her, but she was stuck. She couldn't even scream, as she watched her parents die before her eyes.

* * *

Poe woke with a start, his heart hammering. He was shaking like a leaf, terror and anguish coursing through him. What the hell? Someone whimpered next to him; it sounded like some caged animal. Rey. Nightmare. The things he felt belonged to her. It was still semi-dark in the room; dawn began to creep into their room. He rolled toward her and shook her shoulder. "Rey. Rey, it's Poe, wake up, sweetheart."

It took another minute, but she finally woke with a gasp. "Poe?"

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Right here, Sunshine. You had another nightmare."

She sagged into the bed, a mixture of relief and sadness coursing through her. "Did I wake you?"

"Uh huh. But it's okay." Poe reached for her; she melted into his warm embrace. "It felt bad."

She breathed deeply, focusing on his steady heartbeat. It soothed her. "Yeah." She'd seen her parents again, heard their voices, just like the day they'd left her on Jakku. But something was different. Ochi. In reality, he'd murdered them on his ship, not in the Niima Outpost marketplace. Rey hadn't seen them die, not until the vision Kylo Ren showed her.

"I'm sorry, mi amor."

"It was my parents," she whispered. Poe kissed the top of her head; she was grateful for his support. "I got to hear their voices again, Poe. It was…it was the day they left me on Jakku."

"They left you there to protect you."

"I know, but…this dream, it was different. Ochi…" Poe stiffened, recalling all too well the Jedi hunter they'd tracked to Pasaana. "He was there. I watched them die."

"Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry."

"But I wasn't there. It didn't happen like that. Why would I dream about it?"

"I'm not sure. But it was just a nightmare, Rey. A horrible nightmare."

"I chased them," she confided. "Something…something kept me safe. It felt like the Force."

Poe ran his fingers through her hair. He didn't understand how the Force worked, but she clearly thought it was important. "Maybe the Force is trying to tell you something."

She sighed. "You're probably right. I just wish I knew what it was."

"I think we both need a few more hours of sleep, Sunshine," he said, muffling a yawn.

She was still wired; thinking about the previous night was what led to her nightmare in the first place. "Would you sing to me?" The last time she had a nightmare, he'd come to her room and sang her to sleep.

"Sure." He hummed the opening bars of a Yavinese lullaby his mother used to sing to him. He only half remembered the song, but when he got to the refrain, the words were soft and clear. He felt Rey relax the longer he sang, by the second chorus, she was fast asleep. "Sleep well, my darling," he whispered, before drifting off himself.

* * *

"I'm going check in with Connix back at the base," Poe said, as they finished up breakfast. They'd been surprised by an invitation from Reva for a late breakfast. It seemed that given the late night, everyone had slept in. Even Beph. The ambassador sat a few seats down from Poe, talking to Finn. It was almost shocking; the man had done a complete about face. If Poe hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.

"Are you expecting trouble, Poe?" Reva asked.

"No, but that's usually when it happens."

"I'll talk to Rose," Rey added. "See if she's found anything."

"Good idea." They needed something, a lead. If they could find out where Armas's orders were coming from, then they could track the bastards down and end this. They didn't need nameless assassins trying to disrupt the already fragile balance of power in the galaxy.

"I've alerted the leaders of all the major systems," Beph announced. "I've also asked them to review their security and be in their guard, General."

"Thank you, Amabassador. If they find anything unusual, I'd like it routed directly here." This started with Rey; he was determined that they would end it. The sooner, the better. Before they all went their separate ways, Poe squeezed Rey's hand. "See you soon, okay?"

"Say hi to Connix for me. Oh, and could you see if Beaumont could send me scans of some of his Jedi lore?"

"Sure, any particular reason?"

"Just a feeling."

Poe had learned to trust her feelings. "You got it, Sunshine." He turned left toward his office; Rey turned right toward the hangar, BB-8 on her heels. They'd been on Naboo longer than he'd expected; if they found a lead, he wasn't sure how long they would be gone from Ajan Kloss. He checked in almost every day, overseeing things, but it wasn't the same. For so long the Resistance was just a rag tag bunch of folks cobbled together. Now they were flung all across the galaxy, trying to keep the peace and root out the last of the First Order.

When he told Rey that he sometimes wondered if the fight would ever truly be over, it was the first time he really expressed his doubts out loud. Say they did manage to root out the broken husk of tyranny. What then? The galaxy needed some form of government, preferably one that represented as many people as possible. Democracy wasn't perfect, but it was better than a dictatorship or martial law. Poe believed that. His parents had fought for it. So did he. Where did that leave someone like him? Being a fighter pilot, a soldier, was all he knew how to be. His father seemed content as a farmer, but Poe knew deep down that wasn't his path.

They—Beph and the others—would offer him command of whatever armed forces the new government created. He was under no illusions about that. Yet Poe wasn't sure that was what he wanted either. The only thing he was certain about was Rey. He wanted to marry her, build a home with her. A little spot to call their own; he didn't think that was too much to ask.

When he got to his office, he flipped on his holo. It took Connix several minutes to answer; he tried not to get worried. She was probably just busy. "General!" she cried, slightly out of breath.

"Commander, is anything wrong? Anything I should know about?"

"No, sir. Just a minor explosion."

"Explosion? Where? What exploded? Any casualties?"

"A few bumps and bruises, bot nothing major. Kalonia's on it."

"You still haven't answered my first question."

"The engine on one of the Y-wings finally gave out, sir. A spark got to some leaking fuel, but it's under control."

"Was just one ship affected?"

She nodded. "Yes. But Halcyon Squadron is down a ship."

Poe sighed. They could ill afford to lose any more ships. "I'll mention it to the Ambassador here; we're supposed to be getting some help from the big wigs finally." If their latest adventure had one silver lining, it was that. The politicians were finally starting to take them seriously. An assassination attempt on the last Jedi certainly got their attention. Which was ironic, considering so many still considered the Jedi to be a myth. The Empire had done its job almost _too _well.

Poe knew better. Rey was always surprising him with the things she could do. That wasn't some parlor trick. It was real. Even this far away, he could sense her. That was real. Their connection was real.

Connix seemed surprised. "What changed?"

He explained the events of the last few days. "I need you to put out the word to all the squadrons about this Operation Python. Maybe see if any of the troopers know anything too." Poe sighed. He didn't want to ask Zorii for help, but with her connections to the less than savory parts of the galaxy, she might be useful. He didn't even know where she was now, probably long gone. Which was probably for the best when it came to his relationship. While he found a jealous Rey to be cute, he knew firsthand that it wasn't a fun emotion. He'd spare her that, if he could.

"On it, sir." He saw her type something into her datapad. "We have a progress report from General Syndulla on Lothal."

Poe smiled; Hera would not like that. She'd given up the general life a long time ago. Still, Poe was grateful for her continued assistance. "Alright, let's hear it."

He spent over an hour talking to his second in command. It was a big galaxy; they just didn't have enough resources to police it all. He rearranged some squadrons, trying not to think about how he was sending friends into harm's way. Someone needed to do this job; for some reason, Leia chose him. He made a note to talk to Finn about the search for the families of the former stormtroopers. There were plenty who wanted to return to their loved ones, but they had no idea where they came from. Rodia and Naboo wouldn't be the last to have unwanted ex-stormtroopers in their midst.

When he finally switched off the holo, Poe scrubbed his hand over his face. He hated this job. How did Leia do it all those years? And she did it twice! Rey said that Leia was proud of him, but he didn't see how. It had been weeks since the battle of Exegol and the galaxy only felt a little safer. At least no one could blow up a planet on a whim. That was something. But pockets of the First Order remained to terrorize innocent people. Now someone was trying to further destabilize things.

And he didn't have the first clue how to stop it.

His holo started to flash; Poe switched it on. To his surprise, Kes Dameron was on the other end. "Papa?"

"Mijo! Is everything alright? How's Rey?"

"She's fine. We're both fine."

"I heard about the assassin from Karé, Poe. Why am I hearing this from her and not my son?"

Poe sighed. "We didn't want to worry you, Papa. Wait, how did Karé know?"

"Your friend Rose, I think, but that's not the point. How long have you known? When were you going to tell me my future daughter in law is being tracked by an _assassin?"_

"To be fair, he's not a very good assassin."

"I'm not laughing, mijo."

"Sorry, sorry." He held up his hands in surrender. "We were flying, a joyride, really. There was a drone. It tried to take Rey out, but we stopped it. And we caught the guy who did it, Papa. She's safe."

"That's a relief." Kes studied his son's face through the connection. Poe looked tired and more worried than he wanted to let on. "But you don't think she's completely out of danger, do you?"

Reluctantly, Poe shook his head. He told his dad all about Operation Python and his suspicions about it being the First Order's last resort. If they created a big enough power vacuum, the smoking remnants could step in and restore order. Or, at least, their version of it. "I know Rey can take care of herself. She's a kriffing Jedi! Papa, the things she can do…"

Kes smiled. "I knew a Jedi once too, mijo. You don't have to convince me. But when it's someone you love, letting them walk into danger is hard."

Poe instinctively reached for his necklace, but it wasn't there. Rey had it. He missed the comforting weight around his neck. "What did you do?"

"The only thing I could do. Pray. Trust in the Force to bring your mother back to me. It always did."

"Yeah, I'm having trouble with that part."

"Just remember that it's just as difficult for her. But if you're going to build a life together, you need to stay true to yourselves. Don't smother her, mijo."

"She's been through so much, Papa. Things I can't even fully understand. I just want to protect her."

"Ah, but you can't," Kes admonished. "Rey is a strong woman; she doesn't need you to protect her or coddle her. You're a better man than that."

Poe chuckled. "Yeah, she reminded me of that last night." While she made his lesson pleasant, it was a lesson all the same. He had to trust in the Force. It brought them together for a reason.

"Good girl. I told her not to let you get away with anything."

"My own father's against me. Great."

"Not against you, Poe. Just making sure you don't ruin the best thing in your life." Kes wished he could offer his son better advice and promise that everything would be okay. But he couldn't. His childrencx had to live their own lives.

"She is pretty amazing."

"What will you do now?"

"Well, we're trying to find a lead on Operation Python. Once we do, we'll find it and shut it down."

"It might be a while until you come visit then."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Papa. We were looking forward to it. Finn's dying to meet you."

"It's alright. This place isn't going anywhere."

Poe thought about home. The ranch where he grew up, the Massassi temples, the jungle, his mother's A-wing, the Force tree. It was Rey's favorite spot; he recalled fondly the evenings they spent under its branches. His father suggested they get married there. Poe couldn't think of anything better than that. So why wait? "Papa? Do you think you could do something for me?"

* * *

"This is amazing, Rose!" Rey said into her comm.

Rose's laugh was a bit tinny over the connection. "Well, don't thank me yet. It might be a dead end."

Rey didn't want to think about that. She was already punching the coordinates into the Falcon's computer. She wished they'd brought Threepio with them! He was filled with all kinds of arcane knowledge. Surely, that would be helpful? When the results came up, Rey frowned. "That doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"The nav computer says there's nothing there." She zoomed in on the display; the coordinates were right, not far from their old base on Batuu. They hadn't been there very long before the First Order found them and they had to evacuate, so they hadn't mapped the whole system. Black Spire Outpost wasn't the best kept secret in the galaxy, it turned out. Still, the signal Rose tracked led to _somewhere._ Why was she looking at empty space?

"Whoa, that _doesn't _make sense."

"Tell me about it."

She heard Rose fiddle with some buttons and switches in the background. "Yeah, there's nothing on our maps either. Weird."

"Maybe it's a place no one's discovered yet?"

"Or a place someone wanted to hide. Like when Luke hid on Ahch-To!"

Rey groaned. "Not another wild bantha chase!"

"What's a wild bantha chase?"

Rey turned in her seat; Finn stood at the entrance to the Falcon's cockpit. "Rose got some coordinates off the communications you sent."

"That's fantastic! I honestly thought it was a long shot."

"Hey!" Rose cried.

"Sorry, Rose." He turned back to Rey. "So, what's the problem?"

"The problem is according to the computer, there's nothing there. No habitable planets, no star, no nothing."

"That's impossible."

"Obviously, but it's not just the Falcon. It's not on the Resistance maps either."

Finn stepped inside, peering at the computer display. "There has to be _something_. Armas wasn't sending communications into wild space!"

"I know!"

"Poe's going to love this. And by love this, I mean, hate it."

Rey sighed. "I know, but what else is there? It's the only lead we've got!"

"Maybe not. We can still interrogate Armas. He might give us something."

"I won't use the Force on him, Finn. It's wrong."

"No one's asking you to, Rey." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find another way."

She didn't point out that they were _always _finding another way. Just like their search for the Sith wayfinder, they seemed to hit roadblock after roadblock. Thankfully, they weren't on a sixteen hour countdown, but still. It was frustrating.

She, Finn and Rose poured through the all the maps and histories they could find on the holonet. There was nothing. Finn decided to go back and let Reva know what they found; Rey chose to stay behind. When she was frustrated like this, she liked to tinker. She probably should mediate, but she needed to do something with her hands. After fetching her tools from storage, she stretched out on the metal floor of the cockpit, between the pilot seats, and pulled off one of the access panels to the flight deck. The Falcon was an old ship; she probably needed to be completely rewired. Rey didn't have the time or supplies for that, but she could fix the most necessary things. As she worked her mind wandered.

She loved this ship. Even in the short time she'd been aboard, so much had happened. She left Jakku for the first time. She met legends, like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. She rescued Leia and the rest of the Resistance on Crait. The ship became their home for weeks until a more permanent base could be found. She met Poe not far from this very spot; she smiled at the memory. He'd just been through something terrible, but he greeted her with a warm smile and a handshake.

She didn't realize it then, but he'd already started working his way into her heart.

She remembered him just a few hours ago, sitting in the co-pilot's seat, sleeves rolled up, his jaw set. Rey squirmed a little; he really was too attractive for his own good. Free from the anxiety of the night before, her mind took her memory in a different direction entirely. She pictured him in that seat, in that uniform, his curls a mess from her fingers. She was in his lap, bare from the waist down, her mouth on his as she rode him with the star whipping past them.

Rey squirmed; where had that come from? She'd never really let herself fantasize about her lover before, at least not consciously. She'd had a few _very_ nice dreams about him, especially before they'd become intimate. She never told him about those dreams, lest he make fun of her. Which was silly, because the man she knew wouldn't do that. Sure, he'd tease her a little, but then he'd only want to replay her dream in the real world. Early in their relationship that would have scared her, but now she was a very enthusiastic participant, even instigator.

She was hot all over; she bit her lip. Maybe she needed to mediate after all.

Rey finished the last wire she was working on, then she replaced the access panel. She pointedly did _not _look at the seat in question as she left the cockpit; it felt like something was crawling under her skin. Not in an unpleasant way, but definitely not what she should be feeling. She passed the chess table on her way to the storage area and groaned. She could recall vividly what they'd done on that table.

"Meditation, Rey. Get it together."

Of course, her overactive imagination meant that the Captain's quarters were out too. The problem was memories of Poe were all over the ship. Maybe not _those_ kind, but they'd spent a lot of time together. A metallic rolling sound got her attention. "Oh, hi, Beebee." It trilled a question. "No, I'm alright. I just miss Poe." She could go find him, but she needed to get a grip on herself first. Before she could say something else, BB-8 beeped and rolled away.

Rey chuckled. That droid was such an odd duck, no wonder she loved it so much.

A little meditation and she would be fine. Then she could find Poe and Finn and they could decide what to do next.

* * *

"Wait, Rose found coordinates?" Poe asked, hope blooming in his chest. Could this be the lead they needed?

"She did," Finn confirmed, "but there's a problem."

"Define problem."

"According to all the maps we can find, those coordinates lead nowhere. It's empty space."

"That…doesn't make sense."

"Exactly. Our best guess is its some sort of undiscovered sector or…"

"Someone's trying to hide."

Finn nodded. "Yeah. We'll keep searching."

"Or we could just go there."

"Can we talk about all the ways that's _not _a good idea?"

"Why not?"

Finn gave his friend a look. "Poe, we can't just head to some random part of space without at least s_ome _intel. How do we know the planets—if there are any—are habitable? Air breathable for humans? Any alien species? You can't just blast your way through life."

"I haven't done too bad," Poe said, but the realist in him saw Finn's point. They could be walking into a trap for all they knew. As much as he wanted to end this, they needed to be smart. "Okay. We'll try to find details. But going in guns blazing is Plan B."

"Plan B. I'm impressed with your restraint."

"Why do you think I made you a general for?" Poe said with a grin.

"Because you're secretly jealous of my good looks?"

"Definitely the reason." It wasn't exactly what Poe had been hoping for, but it was better than nothing. It gave them something to work from. Naboo security forces had already gone through Armas's quarters and personal affects. They hadn't interrogated him, yet. Now they didn't have much of a choice.

Finn headed out to find Jannah, but Poe headed in the opposite direction. He hadn't seen Rey since breakfast; he missed her. He felt her frustration through their connection; he had something that might cheer her up. Why not deliver it in person?

BB-8 rolled down the hallway; Poe smiled down at his friend. "Hey buddy. How's Rey?" The droid's answer made him smile. "Yeah, I missed her too. She still on the Falcon?" BB-8 responded in the affirmative. "Great. I'm gonna go see her. Don't get into any trouble, okay?"

Flight personnel nodded as he passed through the hanger toward to Falcon. The gangway was still down, but he didn't hear anything as he climbed it. Poe knew that when she was frustrated and needed to clear her head, she liked to work with her hands. Even in the short time they'd been together, she'd acquired a small cache of seemingly unusable things that she liked to tinker with. "Rey?" he called.

Poe frowned when he received no response. He checked the cockpit, the loading area, the captain's quarters, no Rey. Maybe she was down in engineering? He didn't think anything major was wrong—they'd just fixed and recalibrated the hyperdrive, for Force sake—the Falcon would always be a work in progress. Poe knew that Rey liked it that way. It gave the ship character, in Poe's opinion. Prior to Crait, he never expected to be onboard, let alone _fly _the legendary ship. Yet here he was.

The engineering bays were in the rear of the ship; Poe headed back that way. There, floating just above a crate, was Rey. "There you are."

Rey's eyes snapped open. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't visit my fiancé on her own ship?"

Rey hopped down, brushing a few tendrils of hair out of her face. She looked a bit out of sorts—not in a bad way, but he knew her too well. "No, I just wasn't expecting you."

"That's why they call it a surprise, sweetheart." He closed the space between them and kissed her chastely. "Now why are…" He never got the rest of his question out because she grabbed his shirt and hauled him back to her, kissing him fervently. Any and all coherent thoughts flew from his mind as he kissed her back, his arms sliding around her small waist. They were both panting when the kiss broke. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

"Can't I miss _my_ fiancé?" she whispered, a pleased grin playing at her lips.

Poe smiled back. "I do like that word on your lips, Sunshine." Their lips met in another kiss, lazier this time, but no less passionate. Poe shuffled them a few steps until Rey's behind hit the storage crate; she hummed as he trapped her there with his hips. "How much did you miss me?" he murmured, ducking to kiss down the side of her delicate throat.

Rey wet her lips, gripping his biceps for support as he found the spot that made her weak in the knees. His lips on her skin were exactly what she needed; warmth flowed through her. She'd been mediating—or at least, _trying_ to meditate. It was hard to calm her mind when all she could think of was the man holding her. Poe deftly unbound her hair, letting it fall down in soft waves. "I'm going to have to fix that," she murmured, as Poe ran his fingers through the soft tresses.

"Don't care," he replied, kissing her again. He groaned as she slid her fingers into his collar, scratching lightly. "Rey."

Her name on his lips sent shivers down her spine. "Problem, flyboy?"

His eyes found hers; oh, she was being cheeky! He certainly wasn't going to complain. "You kissed me, remember?"

"How could I forget?" She fused her mouth to his, coaxing him to open for her. Poe did so eagerly, stooping slightly to drag her legs around his waist.

"Don't start something you don't intend to finish," he growled, rocking against her core. Even through her pants, he could feel the heat of her. She gasped, her fingers tugging on his hair. "Kriff."

She didn't care that it was the middle of the day, or that there were a hundred other things they should be doing. She needed this. "Need you," she breathed, her hips rolling against him. "Right now."

"Kriffing hell." He didn't know where this vixen had come from, but he wasn't going to deny her. Besides, he needed her too. "Here?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He didn't want to let go, but there were too many obstacles in their way. He dropped her on her feet. "Pants, boots, now," he ordered.

Rey shivered with pleasure; she'd only heard him use that tone with her once. It was the same one he used when he was giving orders around the Resistance base, his General voice as she once called it. She liked it. She moved hastily to obey, bending over to yank off her boots and shove her leggings off. Meanwhile, Poe did the same with his pants until they bunched at his ankles. Gods, it had been so long since he'd done anything like this! The moment Rey straightened, he picked her up and pinned her to the bulkhead. A breathless giggle tumbled from her lips as she hooked her legs around his hips once more.

"We'll need to be quick," he murmured in her ear, biting back a moan as she ground against him. "Force, Rey."

She nodded absently, dragging him back for another kiss. It broke with a gasp, Rey gripping his shoulders tight as he slammed home. "Poe…gods," she breathed, her head falling back against the bulkhead.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, rocking in and out of her shallowly.

"No, I just…gods, you feel so good."

Poe kissed her hard. "Hang on to me, love," he said, sliding his hands under her ass. She tightened her legs around him; Poe captured her lips once more. They kissed fervently as he took her with short hard strokes, her legs keeping him inside her. Skin smacked together, moans filled the room, Rey's lower back bounced against the cold metal of the bulkhead. They were all the way at the back of the ship, but sound carried. Probably not all the way to the hangar, but if anyone got too close to the open gangway or tried to board, they would know exactly what Poe and Rey were doing. That only made it more intense; Poe wanted her scream of pleasure to echo down the halls of the old freighter.

Pressure built higher and higher at the apex of her thighs; Rey threaded her fingers into his hair. "Poe, don't stop," she pleaded. "Gods, please don't stop."

"Rey…" Her walls were already so tight around him; he knew he wouldn't last long. Not when she felt this kriffing incredible. "Come for me, sweetheart. Wanna feel you."

She reached between them with one hand, seeking the place where they were joined. Poe felt so good inside her; she loved the way he filled her. She needed just a little more to fly over the edge. Poe groaned as he watched her finger her clit; she wasn't shy anymore about her desire. Her walls started to flutter almost immediately; Poe groaned. He hitched her legs higher, forcing himself deeper. Rey cried out, as he finally hit the perfect spot inside her. A handful of strokes later she climaxed, his name a hoarse cry on her lips. Poe didn't stop or slow down, riding her through it until her body swallowed his own high. His whole body shuddered as he emptied himself within her; it was one of the most intense orgasms of his life.

Rey clung to him as they panted for air. She could feel him trembling; endorphins still rushed through her system. Poe pressed his forehead to hers. "Damn."

She smiled guiltily. "Good?"

He smiled back. "Yeah." Gently, he set her on her feet; Rey leaned against the bulkhead for support. Her legs were in no position to hold her up. "Unexpected though."

She glanced away. "Um…" She didn't want to tell him about the fantasy she had, how it put her in such a state.

He kissed her lips. "No need to get shy on me now, sweetheart."

She found his eyes; his love for her seemed bottomless in the warm brown irises. "I just, um..."

He didn't know what she was so coy about, but it was okay. All of this was still pretty new to her; he was her first (and only) lover. They hadn't even been together all that long and she was young. He loved the dichotomy in her; she was utterly fascinating to him. "I love you," he said simply. "Everything about you."

She smiled in relief. "I love you too." She blushed. "I should, um, get cleaned up."

He chuckled softly. "You should. Meet me in the common area?"

Rey's flush deepened as she nodded and bent to scoop up her clothes. She dashed off to the fresher, with Poe smiling in her wake. No, he would never tire of being with her. He fixed his own pants quickly enough, then headed for the common area. He sat at the chess table, recalling fondly their first intimate moment on the Falcon. She instigated that too; he was helpless to resist her.

Poe was only slightly disappointed when she returned, her hair and clothes much more presentable. "The Jedi returns."

She slid in next to him, rolling her eyes. "I don't stop being a Jedi when we're…together," she said.

"I know." He kissed her temple. "I just have to share you with everyone else like this. That Rey back there? She's only mine."

Rey leaned into his side. "She missed you," she murmured.

"I missed you too, mi amor." After a pause, he spoke again. "I got a holo from my dad today."

"Is everything okay?" Rey adored Kes; she couldn't wait to see him again.

"Yeah, yeah, he's fine. Though he was kinda upset I didn't tell him about the assassin."

"How did he even know?" Due to the sensitive nature of recent events, they were trying to keep it _off _things like the holonet. It wouldn't last long, but it might give them an advantage against whoever was hunting her.

"Rose mentioned it to Karé, who told Papa. He was worried about you."

She hadn't considered that. "I should holo him later."

"I'm sure he'd rather talk to you anyway. You've usurped me, Sunshine." Even through his tough rebellious teen years, his father's love never wavered. Kes welcomed Poe back home with open arms after he left the Crew, giving him a place to figure out what he really wanted. Kes wasn't at all surprised that Shara's son would join the New Republic Defense Force, then the Resistance.

"Sorry?"

Poe grinned. "I'm just teasing. Even our droids love you more than me."

"It's not droids I worry about," she mumbled.

Poe smothered another grin. "What was that? I didn't quite catch it."

"Nothing."

He squeezed her waist and kisses the crown of her head. "Why would I want anything else when I have everything right here?" He spoke lightly, but he wasn't making fun of her. Their relationship _had _moved very fast, at least from where they'd started. Once he decided to take Kes' advice and trust that Rey knew what she wanted, things just accelerated. He was happy; he could feel she was too. But that didn't change facts. Rey _was _still young, and this was her first real relationship. Given her past, she was allowed to be a little insecure every once in a while.

Hell, there were plenty of days he didn't think he was worthy of _her_.

Rey's fingers curled around the ring that hung from her neck. Poe might joke sometimes, but she knew he wouldn't have given her something so precious if he wasn't serious. Yet, she knew that there would be others who coveted what she had. "Everything?" she whispered.

Poe smiled into her hair. "Well, maybe my old X-wing. I loved that ship."

"What's wrong with the new one?"

"Nothing. It just doesn't feel like mine."

"It was very distinctive."

Poe's brow creased. "When did you see Black One?"

"On Takadona. Just a moment, really. I was a bit busy running for my life. Then again on D'Qar before I left to find Luke."

Poe's stomach dropped. "Was that when…"

She nodded. "Yeah."

She didn't need to elaborate; he knew how having Kylo Ren in your head felt. "How didn't we meet before you left though? That's I still don't get. Everyone was talking about you."

Rey chuckled. "No idea. I'd been hearing about you for days from Beebee-Ate!"

"And? How did I measure up?"

Rey raised her head, unable to keep the smile off her face. Poe's heart fluttered; it was almost exactly the same smile she gave him when they met, not far from this very spot. "Let's just say I wasn't disappointed."

Poe sighed as she kissed him, twisting in his arms until she was in his lap once more. She was wedged between him and the chess table, but she didn't complain in the slightest. Rey cradled his face in her hands, his stubble rough on her palms. Everything seemed to fade away; Poe held her like she was the only person in his world.

"I did…come out here…for a reason," Poe murmured between kisses. Kissing Rey was certainly never a thing he could _complain_ about. For someone who'd spent the majority of her life alone and lonely, she was very affectionate. Or perhaps, that was _why_ she was so affectionate? Either way, he loved it. He loved _her._

"What was it?"

Poe fumbled for his pocket, extracting the small data card. "I have a present for you, Sunshine."

Rey sat up reluctantly, a pout on her kiss swollen lips; Poe hid a smirk. "What's on there?"

"The lore you asked for. Beaumont sent you everything he'd managed to scan since we settled on Ajan Kloss."

Rey's eyes lit up and she snatched the chip out of his hand. "Poe, thank you!" She didn't think she'd get the information she asked for so quickly; she was grateful. She kissed him again, just because she could.

"Hmm, maybe I should bring you presents more often."

"Maybe you should. Then I get to thank you."

"I think you already did, sweetheart." She'd surprised him down in the engineering bay, but it was the good kind. Who was he to resist a beautiful woman? "Though I wouldn't complain if you thanked me again." He kissed the corner of her lips. "Later." His lips brushed her jawline. "When." Lips pressed to her throat. "We're." The spot behind her ear. "Alone."

Rey clutched the precious data chip in her hand as all other thoughts flew from her head. He was driving her crazy on purpose! "We're alone now," she murmured, sliding her free hand behind his head so she could drag his mouth back to hers. This time she kissed him with intent, the spark lit in her belly.

God, she was going to be the death of him! "Someone's looking for us," he replied, groaning as her tongue slid into his mouth.

"You don't know that."

He nipped at her lips, running his hands over her lithe form. "I'm the general," he breathed, as her mouth latched onto his throat, "and you're the Jedi. Of course, someone's looking for us." There were a lot of responsibilities and decisions waiting for them out there. It didn't matter that all he wanted to do was take her to bed and make her scream his name over and over.

"And what if I didn't care," she replied, tucking her present into a pouch on her belt.

"One of us should be practical," he argued weakly.

"Mmhmm," she agreed, tugging his shirt from his pants. Her small hands stroked his abdominals, making him groan. "We can be practical."

Kriffing hell, he'd just had her less than an hour ago, but he was ready for her again! He squeezed her ass as she rocked against him; she moaned softly. "The hell with it," he growled. Poe held her against him as he slid them out from behind the chess table. Rey wrapped her arms and legs around him as he marched them back to the captain's quarters, all while she used the Force to engage the hydraulics for the gangway. She definitely didn't want them being interrupted.

* * *

Poe struggled to keep the smile off his face as they walked hand in hand back to the palace. They'd been gone far longer than he intended when he left his office earlier. It was late afternoon now; the sun was turning the sky orange and purple. Yet, he didn't regret a damn thing. How could he when he got to be with someone as amazing as Rey?

For a few blissful hours, they'd managed to shut out everything around them. The joy that Rey felt when Poe first asked her to marry him was back, warm and hopeful in her chest. It might not have been exactly what Leia meant when she said that Rey needed to keep the ones she loved close, but Poe was a special case. He was more than just her friend, or even her partner. Her love for him only seemed to grow, which was both scary and exciting.

"You're grinning like an idiot," she whispered as they got into the lift.

"So are you," he pointed out, nodding toward their reflection in the shiny steel. "Not very Jedi like, if you ask me."

"No one asked you, _General."_ She kissed his cheek. "Besides, as the last Jedi, I get to decide what kind to be."

"Thank the Maker for that." He didn't know a _lot _about the old Jedi Order, but he knew that relationships like theirs would have been a huge no-no. Poe thought it was a bunch of outdated nonsense; being with Rey didn't make her any less powerful. She wasn't a droid, devoid of emotion. Rey cared deeply about the people around her; her compassion gave her strength. Why would anyone want to suppress the things that made her unique?

"Do you think anyone missed us?"

"I'm sure they did. Maybe we should come up with a cover story."

"A cover story?"

Poe arched a brow at her. "I mean, unless you _want_ the entire palace to _know_ the sound you make when I…" She cut him off with a kiss. "That a no then, Sunshine?"

She tried to glare at him, but she failed completely. Instead, she shoved at his arm. "Poe."

"What? I tried to be good, but you seduced me, sweetheart. Twice."

"Because you have no self-control," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"When it comes to my beautiful wife to be? Not really," he agreed with a grin.

Despite herself, Rey laughed. "You know, you should be more careful. You're an old man, Dameron."

"Funny, I didn't hear you complaining earlier." In all honesty, he thought about their age difference less and less the longer they were together. She just made him happy and that was enough.

Rey suppressed a shiver. No, she definitely didn't have any complaints. Not only was Poe very attentive and attuned to what she needed, but he genuinely enjoying giving her pleasure. He made her feel things she'd never thought were possible, not in her wildest dreams. Their connection was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, certainly nothing like the dyad. She _chose_ this, chose to be with Poe, every single day. She wouldn't change it for the world.

The lift stopped; Poe led them out. He was about to lead them to his office so Rey could start going through the lore Beaumont had sent when a young man in a Naboo uniform came running up. "General Dameron! Master Skywalker! I've been sent to find you!"

"Slow down, soldier," Poe said. "Anything wrong?"

"We tried to reach you on comms, sir, but there was no answer. General Finn was getting concerned."

Rey flushed. Finn couldn't get them on comms because they'd shut them off. Oops. Poe felt her discomfort; this was why he wanted a cover story. Finn would probably see right through it, but he was their friend. "Well, this place isn't on lockdown, so it doesn't seem too serious."

The soldier nodded. "Oh no, sir. He merely wanted to advise you of some news from the Resistance base."

"News, what news?" Poe mentally kicked himself; if it was something important, did that make him the worst general ever?

"I don't know, he wouldn't say."

Poe shared a look with Rey; she squeezed his hand. While Poe spoke to the soldier, she reached out with the Force, trying to sense Finn. Surely, if the news involved some sort of emergency, she would have felt it. She didn't sense anything dire; the mood of the palace was much like it had been that morning. "I'm sure it's not bad," she whispered as they followed the soldier to wherever Finn was.

"Did you sense anything?"

She shook her head. "Which is why I don't think you should be beating yourself up, flyboy."

Poe was grateful for her; she didn't think he was an utter screw up. Granted, she hadn't been around for some of his more epic faux pas. He couldn't hide his worries and fears from her, even if he wanted to. He didn't want to; she was one of the few people he didn't have to be strong for all the time. Having watched Leia all those years, he knew those few close confidants kept a person sane. Rey was definitely one of those people for him.

She squeezed his hand. If anything, she was to blame for them being late for whatever Finn needed to tell them. The events of the last couple of days had been intense; they needed some quality time alone.

"Rey! Poe!" Finn called as they entered the library, of all places. "Where have you been?"

"Um, out working on the Falcon," Rey said. It wasn't—strictly speaking—a lie. Just an expansion of the truth.

Finn didn't look convinced; he crossed his arms over his chest. "Uh huh. Whatever you say." His tone implied that he did _not_ want to know what they had been up to. "Did you get a chance to go over that stuff from Beaumont?"

"No, we were actually going to do that right now."

"Well, we might have found something." He pointed toward another table, where Jannah was bent over a thick book. "There's this old history of the Clone Wars…"

"What does the Clone Wars have to do with anything?" Poe asked.

"I'm getting there, Mr. I-Can't-Turn-On-My-Comm."

Against his will, Poe felt his face and neck warm. He knew he _should _feel bad about absconding with his fiancé for a few hours when they were in the middle of investigating who tried to kill her, but he couldn't bring himself to feel bad. The last few years were nothing but fighting and spying and trying to stay alive. The most incredible woman in the galaxy loved him; he was going to take every second he could get with her.

He'd earned that much.

Plus, when they were together, he knew she was safe.

Beside him, Rey's ears turned slightly red. She was better at hiding than he was, but he knew she felt the same way. He could feel _her._ It was something he was still getting used to, that faint awareness at the back of his mind. Not intrusive or unwanted, just there.

He was so focused on Rey that he missed whatever Finn was saying. "Sorry, what?"

Finn glared. "Really?" He looked between the two lovers and sighed. "Whatever. As I was saying, this history was written after the Empire fell. Or _rewritten_, to be more precise."

"Palpatine engineered the Clone Wars," Rey said. "Does it mention that?" She learned that from spending hours with Leia. When she was a child on Jakku, she didn't get much of an education. Her mother had taught her Galactic Basic. It came in handy when she was scavenging Imperial wrecks. She taught herself other languages, with some help from a datapad that she'd scavenged. Things like history were beyond the scope of her limited life.

All that changed when Han told her the stories about Luke and the Force were _real._ It was why she stole the Jedi texts. If Luke wasn't going to teach her, then she needed to find things out for herself. Leia lived so much of the history Rey was curious about; they spent long hours together.

"It does now," Finn confirmed. "Like I said, it seemed to have been revised after Palpatine was gone. Or disappeared."

"What about the Clone Wars helps us?" Poe asked. He'd heard stories from some of the old veterans, but history had never been his strong suit.

Jannah spoke up. "We were looking into those coordinates, the ones that lead nowhere."

"Yeah?"

"Well, it turns out that this isn't the first time someone tried to cover their tracks by making a system 'disappear.'"

Rey blinked. "Who was it? Where? When? What happened?"

Finn grinned. "This is where it gets interesting. It was a Jedi."

"What?"

Poe frowned. "Why would a Jedi do that?"

"His name was Sifo-Dias. He was the Jedi that contracted the clone army on Kamino."

Everyone looked at Rey, but the name didn't sound familiar. She had a whole host of dead Jedi speak to her on Exegol, but whoever this Sifo-Dias was, he wasn't one of them. "But how did they find Kamino if Dias removed it from the maps?"

"A Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi figured it out."

Rey's eyes widened. _She knew that name._ She could still hear his soft accented voice in her head. _These are your first steps._ "I know him."

Poe could feel her myriad of emotions as if they were his own. He gently rubbed her lower back, just to let her know that he was there. "Was he…?"

"One of the Jedi that spoke to me? Yeah."

Jannah looked confused. "Wait, a dead Jedi spoke to you? What the hell?"

Rey didn't have time or the inclination to explain. She would leave that to Finn. "Does it say how he did it?"

For the first time, Finn shook his head, looking disappointed. "No, but this Kenobi guy gets mentioned a lot. Apparently, he was a personal friend of Padme Amidala."

"He was also Anakin Skywalker's master," Rey added. "He was right at the heart of everything."

"How do you know?"

"Leia told me. Obi-Wan was there when she and Luke were born. He sent her to Alderaan to protect her from her father."

Poe sighed. He thought he knew Leia pretty well, but even now, he was still learning things about his mentor. Sometimes he wondered if he knew her at all. Rey felt his frustration; she squeezed his hand. "So how does this help us? Because I'm still not seeing it."

Rey slipped her free hand into her belt extracting the data chip. "I had a feeling I would need this."

"What's that?" Finn asked.

"Jedi lore that Beaumont's been gathering." She picked up another datapad and slipped the chip into it. Her friends watched as her fingers flew over the pad, her eyes scanning the information contained within. The old Jedi Order had a repository of information and artifacts, millennia of knowledge. How did they store it all? There had to be more than the texts Luke had with him on Ahch-To. Her grandfather kept the most sacred Sith texts with him; the Jedi texts had been lost until Luke managed to uncover them.

Given his hatred of the Jedi, it stood to reason that Palpatine would have destroyed everything Jedi he could get his hands on. But what if he didn't? What if he kept it as a trophy for his triumph over the Sith's rival in the Force? It seemed to be a Dark Side trait. Kylo Ren kept Darth Vader's helmet with him. She'd asked Leia once what happened to the Temple on Coruscant. After the Clone Wars, it was transformed into the Imperial Palace, her grandfather's seat of power. After the Empire fell, Luke decided against returning the building to its former use, opting to rebuild the Order elsewhere. As far as Rey knew, it was still abandoned.

"The Jedi have been gathering knowledge about the galaxy for thousands of years," Rey said as she searched Beaumont's notes. "Almost everything we know comes from their Archives."

"Okay…" Poe said. "But you said this Sifo guy fooled even his fellow Jedi."

"But not forever. I bet the Temple has some of the oldest maps in the galaxy. Ones that haven't been tampered with."

Finn nodded, enthusiastically. "And if we can figure out what system it is, we can find out everything else. I, for one, would like to know if my insides are going to melt the moment we step off the ship."

Poe rolled his eyes at his friend. They were talking about going all the way to _Coruscant_; that seemed like a waste of time. "Why don't we just go there? We can go to the coordinates, scan the place and get out if it's a bust," he argued.

"That's because you'd rather blow stuff up than do recon first," Finn snarked.

"That is recon, Finn! Just because I want to catch the bastards who ordered a _hit_ on Rey…"

"Like I don't?"

Rey was absorbed in her reading; when she looked up, Finn and Poe looked like they were about to come to blows. "Hey!" she cried. "Stop it, both of you!" She moved between them, holding out her hands. The Force tingled along her fingertips, but she didn't want it to come to that. "We're not going to accomplish anything arguing amongst ourselves."

"My plan is simpler," Poe said. "Those coordinates aren't that far from here. We could have this solved in a couple of days."

"Poe," Finn said, breathing deeply to control his frustration, "we talked to Rose. She studied the space around those coordinates. There s_hould_ be something there, according to all the gravity readings. It could be a star and planets…"

"See?" Poe cried. "We can just go!"

"Or it could be a black hole! Do you want to get sucked into one of those? Because I don't!"

"All the more reason to see for ourselves! It's better than sitting around here!"

"And what if there's trouble?" Finn demanded. "We only have the Falcon, Poe! And she's only got the two guns! There could be an entire squadron of ships out there!"

"I'm sure the Naboo would be more than willing to help."

"Poe," Rey said. She was trying to keep her voice even; she knew he was so riled up because he was scared for her. It was sweet, but they needed to be logical about this. "I'm sure you're right, but we can't ask them to do that. Besides, a bunch of fighters would only draw attention. Whoever's behind this doesn't know that we've got the little information we have. We can't afford to spook them before we're ready to end this." This was a clandestine operation they were dealing with; they needed information before they acted. They had no idea what they could be walking into. Her instincts told her that a more measured approach was best.

How did she convince her cocky flyboy of that?

Poe ran through the map in his head. Just that morning, he's rearranged their already limited resources; it would take time to get even a single Resistance squadron to this sector, at least a week. Poe suspected that Reva would be willing to help, but she had her people to consider. It was a big ask to go from patrolling their sector of space to attacking an unknown patch of space based on the little intel they had. They could interrogate Armas, but deep down, Poe knew that would get them nothing.

"Can we at least do a fly by?" he said finally. "We can use the Falcon's long range sensors, confirm there's something out there to investigate?"

Rey offered him a smile and nodded. "I'm fine with that."

"Me too," Finn said.

"Or I could borrow a ship and go alone, while you guys go to Coruscant." It nearly gutted him to say it, but he offered anyway. Anything to make Rey safe as quickly as possible.

"No." Rey's voice was clear and firm. They wouldn't let her go to Pasaana alone; she wasn't letting Poe risk his life unnecessarily. "Together."

As much as Poe wanted to end this, he was relieved. He wanted nothing more than to stay with her, especially if she was going to visit another piece of her past. "Okay. You guys win."

Rey and Jannah left to start prepping the Falcon for departure, leaving Finn and Poe alone. "You made me a general for a reason, Poe," Finn said after an awkward silence. The two friends didn't fight often; he didn't like it.

Poe nodded. "I know. And I get it. Doing recon is the smart play, especially with an enemy we know next to nothing about."

"Jannah and I checked the First Order maps and the archives for anything about Operation Python, but there wasn't anything to find. Even when we were troopers, it almost felt like a myth."

"Wouldn't be a clandestine murder operation if they had a roster and a handbook," Poe joked.

"Exactly."

"I just want this to end. It's exhausting."

"We both want Rey safe," Finn said, gripping his friend's shoulder. "But I think this time we should do it her way. She's earned that."

Poe leaned against the heavy table. "I know. Ever since…" He sighed. "Ever since we got together, I've been having these nightmares."

"You've had nightmares as long as I've known you."

"Yeah, but these are different. Now it's Rey being hurt and tortured and killed. Not me. I'm there and I can _never_ stop it."

"Have you told Rey?"

"Yeah. We've even talked about it. And it's not all the time. Most of the time, my dreams are pretty nice." He smiled to himself; the good dreams were far more frequent than the nightmares these days. He hoped Rey dreamed about him as often as he did her. "But when it's bad…it's bad. And it seems to go both ways because, we wake each other up when it happens."

"That sounds…intense."

Poe stared at the door Rey exited from. "It is." He chuckled dryly. "This is going to sound ridiculous, but loving her is the most alive I've ever felt."

Finn could see the change in his friend. Rey had been teaching him about auras and how Jedi can see other beings' Force signatures. Poe's was bright, almost incandescent when Rey was near. Poe could still be impulsive and headstrong, but these days he was more likely to listen to reason. He was becoming the leader Leia always knew he could be, without even realizing it.

"I wouldn't change it for the world. I wouldn't change _her."_

"That's good considering you asked her to marry you."

"Buddy, you don't know the half of it." He wanted to tell Finn all about his plan for their next visit to Yavin, but he didn't want to spoil the surprise.

As they left, Finn clapped Poe on the shoulder. "Look at it this way. If Coruscant's a dead end, you'll get to say, 'I told you so.'"

Poe laughed. "Not if I want to keep sleeping in my bed, Finn. Even I'm not that crazy."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: **I'm back! I'm really happy with how this turned out, so I hope you enjoy! Comments feed the muse! Also, I've included a reference to my favorite 80s rom com. If you spot it and get it right, message me and I'll write a Damerey one shot of your choice!

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine.

**Chapter 12**

"Yeah, Chewie, I see it," Poe murmured as they came out of hyperspace. He curled his fingers around the yoke and eased the Falcon into position for those scans. When he'd suggested this, he never expected that Rey would let _him _do the flying. This was her ship, after all, and he'd made a promise. He'd made the mistake once of questioning her flying skills (though to be fair, he'd just met her) and he'd regretted that ever since. When they left Naboo, he hadn't said a word, simply settling in the seat behind Chewie like he had on their mission to Pasaana.

After they got to hyperspace, their small crew dispersed, leaving him, Rey and Chewie alone in the cockpit. Eventually, she got up and stretched. "You wanna watch her for a while?"

He stared at her for a long minute, wondering what she was up to. It wasn't like her to just hand over her ship. "Um, yeah, sure, Sunshine," he said, getting up. She'd kissed him briefly as she passed, leaving him alone with Chewie for the rest of the journey. He was still no closer to divining why she'd done it, but he had to admit he felt better once he was in the pilot seat.

Okay, so maybe he had a little bit of a control problem.

But just when it came to flying. That was his story and he was sticking to it.

Hours later, they could finally take those scans. Finn and Jannah were manning the guns, just in case there was trouble. They were far enough away that there shouldn't _be _trouble; it would take longer for a ship to reach them than it would take them to run away—but prudence was the name of this mission.

"Anything yet?" Rey asked, slipping into the seat that Poe vacated earlier.

"Just got started," he confirmed, glancing at the data. "It's gonna take a little time."

One of the warning lights started to flash; Chewie switched it off with an annoyed roar and got up. Before Rey or Poe could ask what was wrong, the Wookie had stomped out of the cockpit. "What's gotten into him?" Poe asked.

"Dunno," Rey said as she moved into the now empty seat. "Still nothing on the scanners?"

"Nope. It's quiet." It was so quiet that he was tempted to move closer to the system, but he didn't. Rey and Finn were right. This wasn't the time to get reckless. He had to think like a general and not a man who feared losing the most important person in his life.

Rey sensed his unease. "This is the right decision, Poe," she said softly, reaching over to cover his hand with hers. "Even if it doesn't feel like it right now."

He squeezed her fingers. "Yeah, I know. I've never been good at just waiting around though."

She smiled. "We'll teach you patience yet, flyboy."

He arched a brow at her, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Only if you're the one giving the lesson, sweetheart."

Rey rolled her eyes, but that didn't mean she was opposed to his insinuation. She leaned back in her seat, staring out at the stars. They were quiet for a long time, the silence not uncomfortable; they just enjoyed each other's company while the Falcon completed the scans. She'd made the right choice, giving him a chance to fly for a while. So much was happening at once, he needed something familiar to hang on to. Plus, Poe was the only person she knew who loved flying more than she did. It was a part of who he was, as vital as his kindness and his heart. Flying was one the first things they bonded over. After leaving Crait behind, Poe often joined her in the cockpit of the Falcon, offering to fly. She sensed that he didn't fully trust her skills; later, when she confronted him, he'd apologized. After that, they talked about flying a lot. She knew how much he missed it, especially now that he had all these other responsibilities. Giving him some time in the pilot's seat was something nice that she could do for the man who'd given her so much.

"I was thinking," Poe said, breaking the silence.

"About what?"

Poe ran his fingers through his hair. "Well, it's gonna take us a few days to reach Coruscant, even in this old girl." The Falcon's hyperdrive wasn't the standard issue on this type of ship; years ago, Han and Lando had made modifications, boasting the Falcon was the fastest ship in the galaxy. Poe didn't know for sure if that was true, but so far, he'd seen no reason to doubt it. They'd gotten out of plenty of tight spots thanks to those modifications.

"We probably shouldn't spend days in hyperspace either," Rey said thoughtfully. It was easy to lose track of things if you stayed in hyperspace too long.

"I was thinking we'd change course, hop into a few of the lesser used lanes, just in case." Just because he wasn't crazy about this plan didn't mean he wasn't going to give it his best effort. Especially with what was at stake.

"Good idea."

"If we do that, it's going to add to our transit time." Less than a handful of people knew their true destination or their mission; they couldn't risk losing their small advantage.

"Still a good idea."

"Of course, that means you, me and Chewie are the only qualified pilots." He'd been teaching Finn some of the basics, but it wouldn't be enough if they got into real trouble.

"Three pilots, two seats."

"Exactly."

"We'll have to take turns."

"Only when we're jumping in and out of hyperspace," Poe said, flipping a few switches for the scans.

Rey knew he was right, but disappointment curled in her belly anyway. They wouldn't get to spend as much time together if they were taking turns flying. "Sure you're not just angling for more time in that seat?" she teased.

Poe grinned. "Sweetheart, you gave this up willingly. I didn't even ask."

"Just don't forget this is my ship."

He made a show of saluting her. "Aye, Master Jedi."

Rey made a face. "Glad to see someone's in a better mood."

"I had a lot of time to think as the stars zoomed past."

Rey glanced away, reminded once again of the fantasy she'd had. This was far from the time to tell him about it. Too many potential interruptions. "What did the general conclude?"

"He concluded that he still has a lot to learn about being in charge." A series of beeps got his attention. "Scan's complete." He punched in several commands into the computer; Rey leaned over his shoulder. They examined the data as it poured in. "Huh."

"What?"

"Well, Finn will be relieved it's _not _a black hole."

"Poe."

"I know, I know. Anyway, Rose was right. According to this, there is definitely a star with orbiting planets. It looks like the signal was traced to one of the moons." He scrolled back up. "Oh, for Force sake."

"What?"

"The climate is about the worst you can imagine."

"I grew up on Jakku. You know, a desert?"

"Ever been to an ice planet?"

"Does Starkiller Base count?"

Poe blinked. "Right. Sorry." That was where Rey had fought Kylo Ren in the snow; how could he have forgotten that?

"I'd never seen snow before. Didn't even really know what it was. But it was cold." It had been chilly on Kijimi too, but not like that. That kind of cold seeped into your bones and tried to drag you under. She hated the cold.

"The Rebellion used to have a base on Hoth. From what Leia said, it sounds a bit like this. We'll need to get some supplies when we get to Coruscant."

"I'll bet the old Imperial Palace will have what we need."

Poe tilted his head up to look at her. "Rey, you're sure about this? You don't have to keep torturing yourself with your grandfather's crimes. You're not like him. You're not."

She was touched by his concern. "Poe, it has the answers we need. It has answers I need." She touched her belt; one of the pouches contained the precious data card Beaumont had sent. "According to this, there could be thousands of repositories of Jedi history there. Research on the Force. All contained in something called holocrons." All the knowledge she could ever want about the Jedi! She couldn't say no to that. She'd planned on visiting the old temple eventually; this just moved things up a bit.

Poe slipped his arm around her waist; she was so brave, his Jedi. "Jedi history, huh?"

"Yeah." She ran her fingers through his hair; she adored his soft curls. "Have you ever been to Coruscant?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I trained there, but it's not my favorite place."

"Why?"

"It's nothing but city. Metal and glass and stone." He didn't mention the seedy underbelly of the city-planet; Rey would see for herself soon enough.

"No trees to climb," she teased gently.

Poe smiled. "Something like that." Kes taught him survival skills from the time he was young; it had been grueling sometimes, but he was at heart, a fan of the outdoors. Fortunately, Rey loved all things green and growing.

"Trees are easier to climb than abandoned Imperial wrecks."

Poe arched a brow at her. "Is that a challenge, darling?"

"Hmmm, maybe."

"Competitive. I like it."

"You won't when you lose."

"If I lose. We'll just need to make the prize worth it."

"Prize for what?"

Poe let go of Rey instantly; she turned, feeling her cheeks heat up. She didn't know why she was so flustered; it's not like they'd been caught kissing. Or worse. There was a charge to the air when she and Poe were alone; it crashed the moment they were interrupted. "Nothing," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Finn glanced from one to the other; why did they look guilty? He hadn't meant to interrupt whatever private moment they were having. He just wasn't used to this casual intimacy his friends shared now. "Scans?"

"Scans, right," Poe said, trying to get his mind back into gear. It was hard to think sometimes with Rey so close. "The good news is, it's not a black hole."

Finn sighed in relief. "Wait. Good news implies there's bad news."

Poe nodded. "If Rose's calculations are right, it's an ice planet. To even land, we're gonna need some supplies and modifications to the ship."

"Soooo, I was right." It wasn't the worst case scenario he'd feared, but Finn had been right to be cautious.

Poe rolled his eyes. "Yes. You were right. Are you happy now?"

Finn clapped Poe on the shoulder. "Some humility is good for you, man." He turned to Rey. "What's the plan?"

Rey explained Poe's idea of jumping hyperspace lanes to keep any potential pursuers at bay. It wasn't likely, but they'd learned the hard way to be cautious. While she talked, Jannah and Chewie also arrived. They debated the path to take, where to jump to, when to jump, and who would be flying for what felt like hours. Finn offered to take some time watching the ship during the longer stretches in hyperspace so their three pilots could sleep. Truthfully, there weren't enough sleeping quarters for all five of them at once anyway, even with Poe and Rey sharing the captain's quarters.

"So, who's taking first shift?" Poe asked.

"I am," Rey said immediately. "Me and Chewie."

"Why?"

"Are you guys really gonna do this _now?"_ Finn asked, sensing another one of their "debates" brewing. He'd refereed too many of them in the last year; he knew the signs.

"What?" Poe and Rey said together.

Finn groaned. If they kept this up, it would be a long trip to Coruscant. "Can't you just draw straws or something?"

"But that's completely random!" Poe protested.

Finn gave them both a look. "Rey, you take first shift. Poe, you should get some sleep. You look like crap." Before either of them could argue, he nodded at Jannah, who left with him.

"I don't look like crap. Do I, Sunshine?"

Rey smiled and looked down at her fiancé. As handsome as ever, but he did seem tired. It lingered at the corner of his eyes and the set of his shoulders. "As if you ever could," she said softly, kissing his cheek. "But I still think you should get some sleep."

Poe took her hand in his. He didn't want to admit it, but he was feeling a bit tired. Probably from being so anxious about this mission. "Okay, just…stay out of trouble?"

"We'll be fine."

Poe stood and kissed her. "Love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

"_All clear," Rey said, leaning back in her seat._

"_That was close," Poe replied, his heart still racing. TIE fighters had chased them across three systems; he'd been forced to lightspeed skip again. Rey, of course, protested, but as he was in the pilot's seat, there wasn't anything she could do about it. _

"_I can't believe you did that. Again." She sounded…angry? Awed? A mixture of both?_

"_You say that like I had a choice," he snapped. "They were going to kill us!"_

_Rey pushed herself up, her hazel eyes flashing. "You could have gotten us killed! What if you came out of lightspeed inside a star or something, Poe?"_

"_But I didn't," He sat up, leaning over the arm of the chair. "I've done this plenty of times; I know what I'm doing!"_

"_Are you implying I don't?"_

"_You learned how to fly in a simulator, sweetheart. I've been doing this since I was kid!"_

"_Don't patronize me, Poe Dameron," she growled. "Arrogant bastard."_

"_You like it." He smirked at her; as angry as she was, he felt something else too. She couldn't hide, not from him. "I can feel how much you like it, Rey."_

"_Ugh." She got up, but he caught her wrist before she could walk away. His touch was like an electric shock; her heart pounded in her chest. Soft lips kissed the pads of her fingers, sending a shiver down her spine. "Poe…"_

_He said nothing, a gentle tug of her arm calling her back. He grinned as she climbed into his lap, fusing her lips to his. The kiss wasn't gentle or sweet; it was filled with passion and frustration. Poe cupped her ass as she rocked against him, her desire overwhelming his senses. "There's my girl."_

"_Shut up and kiss me, flyboy."_

"_Yes, ma'am." She moaned into his kiss; their tongues wrapped together in a sensual dance. He could feel the heat building in her core as she ground her hips against his; another close call fueled their mutual need. Her nimble fingers tugged on his shirt, pulling the tails from his trousers. Poe wasn't idle, tugging the fabric of her leggings over her hips. She let out a little needy gasp as he stroked her aching nub. "Hmmm, maybe I should piss you off more often, Sunshine," he growled as more arousal coated his fingers._

_Rey bit her lip, her eyes falling shut as her lover touched her. "You're so full of yourself," she replied, trying to sound annoyed but failing completely. She needed more._

"_You want to be full of me, sweetheart," he purred in her ear. "I can feel it."_

_Rey shuddered; as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She needed him. Right here. Right now. "Get your pants down," she hissed. "Now."_

_Poe hastened to obey her as she stood in the tiny space between his legs. Somehow, she managed to get her boots and leggings off, tossing them in the seat next to her. Before he could say another word, she was back in his lap, kissing him deeply as she sank onto his stiff cock. They both groaned; they were probably being too loud, but Poe didn't care. Knowing they could get caught only made things more exciting. Stars zoomed by them as the ship careened through hyperspace; Poe bucked up into her. Rey mewled, lost in her need. "Yes, yes," she breathed. "Kriff, more, Poe."_

_He captured her lips in another hot messy kiss, his high coiling at the base of his spine. Rey leaned back abruptly, hands braced on the instrument panel as she rode him, frantic, desperate to fall over the edge. Her walls fluttered around him, she was almost there and so was he. So close, so close…_

Poe woke with a gasp, the chrono blaring at him. He groaned softly, his pants painfully tight. His neck hurt from sleeping sitting up, or rather, sprawled out in the pilot's seat, asleep. He huffed and righted himself, trying to surreptitiously adjust himself in his pants. That dream had felt so real, like she was actually there with him. She wasn't, of course.

He counted to fifty, willing his body to calm down. He missed her, that was all. With them taking different shifts in the pilot's seat, they hadn't seen much of each other the last few days. When they did get to spend some time together, they hung out with Finn and Jannah, trying to entertain themselves. They played holochess and sabacc. Chewie beat them all at chess; Rey came closest to toppling the reigning champ, once or twice. The only time Poe won was when he played against Jannah, mostly because she'd only learned to play during this mission.

The worst part was that he and Rey kept almost opposing hours; he would be sliding into their bed to sleep just before she woke up for her shift. When she wasn't flying or sleeping or playing games, she'd disappear into the Falcon's innards, fixing something or other. She and Finn did some Jedi training too; he occasionally heard the crash and Finn's curses as they practiced.

He missed her. Once, two nights ago, they found themselves alone. Finn and Jannah were asleep, Chewie manned the cockpit. They played a game of chess, or at least, they tried too. Rey fell asleep before they got very far. Poe wound up carrying her back to their quarters and tucking her in; it was the only time they'd shared the same bed for more than an hour or so.

Heavy footfalls got his attention. Chewie appeared, roaring softly. "Everything's quiet," Poe assured him. "Next jump isn't for hours yet." Chewie nodded. "I'm gonna go get some sleep. Rey'll be here later, okay?"

He let Chewie get settled before rising himself. It was early in the morning, at least according to the chrono. Taking every third shift was messing with his sleep patterns; no wonder he was so exhausted. Not having Rey with him didn't make it better. He heard a faint humming sound; it took him a moment to realize it was a lightsaber. What was Rey doing up at this hour?

He headed for the common room. Rey stood in the middle of the space, blindfold across her eyes, saber lit. A remote blast droid hovered near her; Rey's blade flowed it as it moved. How could she see it if she was blindfolded? Poe watched, fascinated. The remote shot at her in varying intervals; Rey deflected them all with ease. Her movements were fluid, graceful; she held the saber like it was an extension of her arm. The yellow beam cast a warm glow over her features; it suited her. Why yellow? What determined the color? He could still recall the angry spitting red of Kylo Ren's saber, the color of malevolence and evil. The yellow was warm and inviting, like sunshine.

Appropriate for the woman he loved so much.

Rey deactivated her saber; she sensed she wasn't alone. The presence was familiar; she'd know Poe's bright light anywhere. When she tugged the blindfold down, she found him standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest and looking quite pleased with himself. "Hey."

"Hello stranger." Poe smiled as he entered the room, reaching out to cup her cheek. Rey sighed as he pressed a kiss to her lips; she missed him. "Am I interrupting?"

She shook her head. "No, I was just…I couldn't sleep," she confessed. Truthfully, she was going a bit stir crazy. She kept herself as occupied as she could, but this wasn't like any of those other missions they'd gone on together. Her relationship with Poe had changed dramatically since the last time they found themselves cooped up in the Falcon together. She could tinker and meditate and play chess and train, but it wasn't a substitute for Poe's hugs and warm smile.

Poe smiled. "Don't yell at me, but I drifted off back there," he said, jerking his thumb toward the cockpit. "Dreaming about you."

"Me?"

He chuckled. "It was definitely you. No one else yells at me for my flying."

Rey curled her fingers in his shirt, tugging him closer. "Well, you are a bit reckless," she murmured, lips hovering over his. She kissed him languidly, sighing as his arms slipped around her waist.

"So are you," he replied, biting back a groan as she ran her fingers through his hair. Since it was so late, she was only dressed in a tunic, leggings and boots; she was warm and soft against him. As she pressed closer, the hilt of her saber dug into his hip. "Hmm, careful with that thing, Sunshine."

"What? Oh." She shoved at her belt, sliding her saber over a few inches. Poe's lips descended on hers again; she mewled as he backed her toward the holochess table. "Must have been some dream," she murmured as he pressed more kisses to her throat.

Poe chuckled. "It featured my two favorite things, so yeah."

"What was the other one?" She hooked her legs around his, trying to hold him as close to her as she could. His rough hands slid under her shirt; she shivered. Other than a few stolen heated kisses, they hadn't been together in days.

Poe nosed the collar of her tunic aside; his lips caressed her collarbone. "Why don't you guess?"

She didn't really need to guess, but she decided to humor him. Besides, she liked where this was headed. "Holochess?"

He chuckled. "Nope. Try again."

She gasped and gripped his biceps as he kissed that spot under her ear that drove her crazy. "Ugh, shooting enemy fighters?"

"Hmm, better guess, but no." He kissed her deeply, pressing her harder against the table. She could feel him between her legs; she tried to rock against him. "I'll give you a hint." He waited until her lust filled hazel eyes found his. "I'm good at only two things, sweetheart. And flying's the other one."

She bit her lip and smoothed her hands over his chest. "Maybe you better give me a demonstration, flyboy. Just to sure. That's an awfully big boast. Even for you."

He smiled that heartmelting sexy grin that she couldn't resist. "I think that can be arranged." Before she could reply, he scooped her up, holding her against his chest with her legs around his waist as he walked them to the captain's quarters. The moment the door hissed shut, Poe pressed her against it, their lips locked in a heated kiss. "Kriff, I've missed you," he growled as she tugged his hair.

Rey angled her head to give him better access as he nibbled and sucked on her pulse. "Me too," she breathed. It was the wee hours of the morning, they should be sleeping, but they needed this. His day old scruff scratched and burned her perfectly; she'd bear the marks later, she was sure of it. She dug her heels into his lower back, arching off the metal door. "Poe, kriff, I need you."

"I know." The fabric of her blindfold tickled his nose; suddenly, he had an idea. "You trust me?"

"Of course."

"Good." He gently set her on her feet, then he tugged the blindfold loose.

"What are you doing?"

"Why do you train blindfolded, Sunshine?"

"Because I don't need my eyes to see, not with the Force." She looked from his face to the blindfold, realization lighting up her face. "Oh."

"Are you…okay with trying that?"

She didn't even hesitate. "Yes."

Poe kissed her swiftly. "Alright. If you want me to take it off, you just say the word, okay?" She nodded. He felt her curiosity and desire through their connection; he loved her all the more for being willing to try this.

Rey closed her eyes as he tied the cloth carefully around her eyes. "Good? No peaking now."

"It's good." The room had been dimly lit when they entered; she was now in total darkness. But she wasn't afraid. She trusted Poe, trusted him more than anyone in her life. He took her hands and walked them over to the bed. Rey perched on the edge, humming as her lover's lips descended on hers. The darkness allowed her to focus on other things, like the softness of his lips, the little puffs of warm air on her skin every time he paused to breathe, the urgency of his hands on her body. Poe peeled off her tunic, careful not to disturb the blindfold. Rey braced her hands behind her on the bunk as he kissed a path down her sternum, his scruff leaving marks on her pale skin. The metal floor creaked as Poe knelt between her legs, slipping off her boots and peeling the leggings down.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured as he kissed her inner thigh. She smelled heavenly; her sex was already glistening in the low light. He pressed her knees wider apart, licking a stripe over her slit with the flat of his tongue. Rey moaned softly; it felt even better that usual. She kept one hand braced on the bed; with the other, she threaded her fingers into his hair. Poe obeyed her silent command, devouring her. She rocked against his face as he lapped at her arousal, his tongue dipping inside her.

"Poe, oh Force," she panted. "Don't stop. Please." Her head fell back; she felt like she was melting from the inside out. It always felt good, but without her sight, she could only focus on the sensations. Heat pooled in her belly; sparks seemed to flit across her skin. She climbed higher and higher, trying desperately to hold him against her. Yet he backed off before she could climax, leaving her body screaming in frustration. "Poe!"

"Shhh," he chided. "We don't want to wake anyone, sweetheart." It reminded him of his dream, the idea of them getting caught. The door was locked, but it wasn't soundproof.

"Now you're just being mean," she whined.

He kissed her swollen clit. "Patience, mi amor, patience." He stood and started to disrobe as he moved toward the small galley. They hadn't stocked it with this in mind, but he wasn't going to complain. He filled a bowl with the things he needed, then returned to the bed. He set the bowl aside and pulled her in for a kiss. Rey gasped in surprise; she could taste her arousal on his tongue. When she braced her hands on his chest, she realized he was naked.

"Now this is better," she breathed between kisses.

Poe chuckled. "Yeah? You can't see me, sweetheart."

She ran her blunt nails down his chest, earning her a groan. "Don't need to, flyboy," she murmured. Her hands wandered as they kissed languidly; it was like she was learning his body all over again. She traced broad shoulders with her fingertips, skimmed his abdominals, feeling triumphant every time she found a new place that made him moan softly.

"Who's seducing who, sweetheart?" he groaned as she gave his ass a firm squeeze.

"Doesn't matter." She hitched her leg over his hip, using the leverage to grind against his hot firm erection. "Missed you."

It would be so easy to push inside her and give them the relief they so badly needed, but Poe restrained himself. "Lay back for me."

"Why?" She could sense his desire; he wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

"Because you are far too tempting, and I'm not done with you yet."

Reluctantly, she did as he asked. She heard the clank of the ceramic bowl, then something very cold slid down her torso. She cursed, the cold sharp against her overheated skin. It took her a moment to place what it was. "Ice?"

"Mmhmm." He circled her areola with the cube; Rey squirmed and moaned as her nipples tightened painfully. "Too much, darling?"

It was such a strange sensation, hot and cold, but arousal flooded her core. "No. Oh gods."

He smiled, dragging another cube over her flat belly. Water pooled in her navel; he bent over and sucked it off her skin. Rey continued to squirm and writhe, as he licked more water, that clever tongue of his swirling around her nipples. Her hips bucked off the bed as he sucked them, one after the other; she clung to the pillow under her head to stop from simply floating away. She never imagined anything like this; it was intoxicating.

Poe climbed up in the bunk with her, perched between her splayed thighs. She was gorgeous like this, skin flushed and wet, her lips swollen from his kisses, her muscles quivering with anticipation. He plucked one final cube from the bowl; it was cold, but he knew this would be worth it. He dragged it down her inner thighs; Rey gasped and squirmed. "I've got you, mi amor," he promised with a kiss to her belly. "I've got you."

She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but only a desperate cry came out. The biting cold slid over her hot aching sex; she gripped the pillow so hard it shredded like tissue. Moans and curses tumbled from her lips as she tried to wriggle away, but Poe kept a firm hand on her belly. As swiftly as it came, the cold was gone, replaced by her lover's lips and tongue. Rey climaxed on the spot; the blackness of her blindfold replaced by bright white light. The bowl tumbled to the floor with a crash, but Poe didn't stop, lapping at her until she went limp in his arms.

Rey panted for air; euphoria still rushing through her veins. She whimpered as Poe kissed his way up her body, murmuring praise into her skin. When he reached her lips, she was still breathless and shaking. "Let's take this off," he whispered, tugging on her blindfold. It unraveled easily; her beautiful hazel eyes were glassy with pleasure. "There's my girl."

She ran her hands down his back. "That was…"

"Good, I hope?"

"Mmhmm." She smiled as she kissed him, hooking one leg over his hip. "Now I want you."

"Sure?"

"Yes, please."

Poe rolled her so she laid on her right side, the remains of the ruined pillow still tucked under her head. She knew what he wanted without a word, smiling as she spread her legs. Poe sank into her with a soft moan, her left leg curled around his waist. Rey sighed in pleasure, her world righting itself as he rocked into her. There was no rush, no urgency now; they were two people reveling in the moment. She couldn't stop touching him, running her hands over every bit of golden skin she could reach. Poe shivered, drawn to the adoration he saw in her eyes. He didn't deserve her, but he would do whatever he had to make sure she kept looking at him like that.

He shifted the angle of his hips slightly; Rey arched as he hit her sweet spot. _"Oh,"_ she breathed. "Right there. So good."

Poe did as she bid, eager to please her. She clawed at his shoulders, needy whimpers tumbling from her lips. She felt so good around him; he'd missed her terribly the last few days. Not being with her was a kind of torture he wanted to experience as little as possible. Rey tugged him down for a hungry kiss as she rolled onto her back. She locked her ankles at the base of his spine, holding him inside her, forcing him deeper, harder, his thrusts almost frantic as they chased completion. Poe got there first, her name a prayer on his lips as he stiffened inside her, cock pulsing and throbbing. Rey followed, a cry caught in her throat. Poe collapsed on top of her, his heart threatening to pound right out of his ribcage. Rey made no protest, her own heart still racing in tandem with his. She stroked his damp curls as she held him close, utterly content for the first time in days.

Eventually, Poe moved, rolling onto his back. The bed wasn't that big, so Rey had to snuggle into his side, not that she was complaining. She could listen to his heart as it slowed; it was one of her favorite sounds.

"Probably shouldn't fall asleep until we've cleaned up," Poe murmured. He was properly tired now; he had a feeling he would sleep better than he had since they left Naboo.

"Who made the mess?" she teased gently, her finger drawing nonsense on his stomach.

He chuckled. "I'm not sorry though." Poe kissed the top of her head. "Worth it."

Rey kissed the underside of his jaw, then she pushed herself up. "Be right back." She swung her legs out of the bed and padded over to the fresher on shaky legs. Poe smiled to himself; she was one of the strongest, fiercest women in the galaxy, yet he had the power to reduce her to a shaky mess. Gods, he loved her.

Rey ignored the little puddles of water on her way back. The bowl was halfway across the room; she righted it with a wave of her hand and guided it back to the kitchen. "Show off," Poe muttered as she joined him in the bed.

"Don't get all grumpy on me now," she said, resting her head on his chest.

"Why would I be grumpy? I think this was a very good morning."

She giggled. "It is morning, isn't it?"

"Unfortunately."

"How long do we have?"

He tightened his grip on her. "Not long enough."

"Maybe they'll let us sleep until lunch."

"We can hope."

Rey tugged the blanket over them; her eyelids were getting heavy. "Better than your dream?"

"Hmmm?"

"I asked if that was better than your dream."

"Ah. Well, the dream was pretty specific." She poked him. "Ow. Reality is always better, sweetheart. I've missed you. Missed holding you."

She understood exactly how he felt, even without their unique connection. This was home. "We'll be there soon," she reminded him.

"I hope we find what we're looking for." Everything that Poe did now was for one goal: make the galaxy stable enough so he and Rey could start their life together. He wanted to take her away from all this and just live for a little while. He hadn't been kidding when he suggested they take the Falcon and just _go._ After years and death and destruction, he thought they deserved it. He'd give her anything she asked for.

"We will." Rey had a feeling. Coruscant had answers; she was certain of it. It wasn't a place she ever expected to go; then again, until a year ago, she never expected to leave Jakku. She no longer counted the days since her parents left. She didn't even count the days Poe declared his love for her on Yavin. She had everything she needed right in front of her.

* * *

"You're in a better mood," Finn said as he tried to move one of the large storage cubes from one corner of the bay to the other, using only the Force.

Rey brushed dirt from the old oscillator housing; she was hoping to salvage it. They needed all the spare parts they could get. "Hmmm?"

Finn turned, dropping the cube with a thud. He winced. "You," he repeated. "You're less…cranky today."

"We should be at Coruscant in a few hours," she pointed out. She didn't look Finn in the eye; she couldn't. There was one very good reason for her improved mood, but she didn't want to discuss it with Finn. That would be weird.

Finn crossed his arms over his chest. "Poe seemed chipper too," he said suspiciously.

Rey put down her work. "You don't _really _want to know, do you?"

"Probably not."

"Good." She smiled to herself as Finn returned to his task; she'd go check on Poe in a little bit. She'd relieved Chewie right after lunch, leaving Poe to play another round of chess with Finn. Jannah joined her for a little while; they talked about the possibility of finding more information about the stolen children. The former Jedi temple was a relic of the Empire, so it was a long shot. But Rey could see how badly Jannah wanted to know where she came from. Rey understood that.

Though she didn't have the heart to tell her new friend to be wary about what she wished for.

Not all stories had to be like hers. Jannah probably had a family out there who missed her and spent years wondering what happened to her. It wasn't likely that she was descended from the most evil man in the galaxy.

_You're not like him._ Rey stared at her hand; if she thought about it too much, she could almost feel the lightening that emerged from her fingertips. She'd done that. That power resided within her. She couldn't will it away any more than she could the color of her hair. It was a part of her. The light _and_ the dark. _Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi._ She thought Master Luke was talking about confronting Palpatine, but perhaps it was deeper than that. The fear that she could lose control and hurt someone—especially someone she cared about—was with her, every day. For several agonizing hours she thought she'd killed Chewbacca. By accident, but that didn't matter.

She didn't ever want her vision to come true.

Poe frowned; unease settled in his chest. Their course was fine, as was their fuel consumption. The scopes were clear of threats. So, if it wasn't here then…Rey. It had to be. He looked down at his hand, wondering what was going on in that head of hers. She was supposed to be training with Finn; maybe he could take a break, go check on her? He switched control to the co-pilot. "Be back soon, Chewie. Yell if there's trouble." Chewie wailed in acknowledgement as Poe left.

He passed Jannah and BB-8 in the common area; they were scouring more of the data they'd acquired from the Star Destroyer on Naboo for information on the stolen children. He waved as he passed, heading toward engineering. He heard a crash coming from the one of the cargo holds, then a frustrated curse. When he reached the open doorway, Rey was righting a heavy cube with a wave of her hand. "Let the Force do the work," she said. "You're just directing it, Finn. You're in control."

"Doesn't feel like it."

"It didn't for me at first either. It takes practice."

Finn rolled his shoulders, his jaw set. "Alright. I've got this."

"Am I interrupting?" Poe asked, stepping into the hold.

Both turned, Rey's smile immediately easing the tension in his chest. "Hi."

"Everything, uh, okay?" He didn't know how to tell her that he'd felt her less than happy feelings with Finn standing right there.

She nodded, but she directed her next words to Finn. "Hey, I'll be back in a minute. You good?"

"I'll have this thing across the room by the time you get back. Go."

Rey nodded gratefully, then she brushed past Poe. He followed her out, wondering where she was taking them. There weren't that many hiding places on the Falcon. Well, none that weren't supposed to be used for smuggling. They passed engineering, headed toward the other, smaller hold. "Rey…" But before he could ask his question, she wrapped herself around him. "Hey, it's okay," he murmured into her hair. "I'm here."

Rey let herself relax into the safety his arms offered. If he was here, then he must have felt her anxiety. It crept up on her when she least expected it; she was afraid she would never be free of it entirely. The revelations about her past, her vision on the Death Star, confronting her grandfather, the power that resided with in her…she didn't know if she was the right person to hold so much power. Almost everyone she knew like her had turned evil or rejected it.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Poe asked softly. He rubbed soothing circles into her shoulder blades; Rey buried her nose in his chest. As much as he hated seeing her doubt herself like this, he was grateful that he was the person she felt safe with.

"It's nothing. Silly, really."

"Not if you're upset like this. It's your grandfather again?"

"I'm not upset. Just…Poe, you saw what I did. What I can do. That lightening, the darkness. It's a part of me. I have so much power. Because I'm related to _him._"

Poe reached for her right hand, pressing his palm against it. Rey watched as he threaded their fingers together, his handsome features calm and unafraid. "Rey, you're not powerful because of who you're related to. The Force chose you. Not because of him. It chose you for your heart, your compassion and your strength. And I know that because those are the exact qualities that I love about you. I saw what happened on Pasaana. I know it was an accident."

"I lost control. What if…"

"If we worried constantly about 'what ifs' we'd never get out there and live, sweetheart," he said gently. He spoke from experience; it was one of the painful lessons of war. "You deserve to have the best life, Rey. One that I am so incredibly lucky to share with you."

Rey bit her lip, glancing from those brown eyes she loved so much to their joined hands. Anakin told her to bring balance back to the Force. Ending the Sith wouldn't banish evil from the galaxy; she knew that. Perhaps she needed to find the balance within herself. Only then could she pass on the legacy of the Jedi. "I love you," she said, squeezing his hand.

He brushed a kiss to her forehead. "Love you, too. You don't have to do this by yourself, Rey. Not anymore."

She hugged him tight, grateful for his support. Poe wasn't afraid of her or the power she held. He loved her with his whole heart; they were partners. She'd never had one before, someone who loved her so unconditionally. She hoped she made him as happy as he made her. "We should probably get back."

Poe smiled. "Yeah, probably." They would be arriving soon, then the mission could really begin. He pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. "I assume you'll want your seat back?"

She grinned. "You'd assume correctly, General."

They held hands as they walked back toward engineering. "Thanks for letting me fly, Sunshine."

"I wouldn't trust her to anyone else. Except Chewie, of course."

Poe laughed. "So far neither of you have yelled at me, so I'll consider that a compliment."

"You really should." She kissed his cheek. "I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Take your time." She rolled her eyes at him and he laughed again. She might think he was ridiculous, but if it made her happy, then he was fine with that.

* * *

Rey's eyes widened as they broke atmo. She'd never seen anything like this. She watched a few holovids about the former Republic and Imperial capital, but they couldn't capture the scope of the real thing. The entire planet was a city. Bright neon lights flashed in various districts; speeders zipped along the traffic lanes. Highrise buildings were like tall spikes against the sky. There were almost no green spaces; the few she did see dotted the homes of the rich and well connected. They passed the old Senate building; Poe pointed out a few of the more obscure sights. It was evening on Coruscant; artificial light illuminated the streets.

"The temple shouldn't be far from the old Senate building," Poe said from his seat. "Let's get this over with." This place didn't hold the best memories for him, but he knew it would be harder on Rey. She seemed better since their talk, but they would be in the heart of the old Empire. She would be bombarded with all the horrible memories that building held.

Rey turned, flashing him a grateful smile. "Chewie, let's put her down over there." There was a clearing near the old former temple; it looked like it used to be a park of some kind. The old stone building loomed ahead of them, abandoned and gloomy. The four pillars for the founders of the Jedi Oder still stood, but this was not a calm place of mediation and learning. She could sense that from here.

"What is that?" Finn asked.

"Ghosts," Rey replied.

"Let's hope that's not all we find here," Poe said, darkly. He recalled the malevolence he'd felt in the old Palpatine homestead on Naboo; this was eerily similar.

Once the Falcon was safely on the ground, the group ventured out, Chewie leading the way. As far as anyone knew the old palace was empty, but they were all armed. Rey pulled up the old schematic Beaumont had given them. "The entrance should be that way."

The city hummed around them, but this area seemed to be deserted. _No one wants to be reminded of the old Empire_, Rey thought as she and Poe followed Chewie. BB-8 was right behind them, with Finn and Jannah bringing up the rear. And why would they? It turned a beacon of hope into something twisted and evil.

"I've never seen anything like this," Jannah murmured, the awe evident in her voice.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Finn said quietly.

Poe didn't want to admit it, but he did too. "Let's just get our answers and get out."

"We'll have to split up," Rey said, studying the schematic again. "There's a lot of ground to cover."

They paired off, Finn and Jannah heading to the lower levels of the complex to look for the holographic maps, while Rey and Poe headed for upper part of the ziggurat. Chewie and BB-8 prowled the grounds—Chewie with his bowcaster and BB-8 with his scanners—watching for trouble.

"What are we hoping to find?" Poe asked as they passed into the darkened former palace. Rey ignited her lightsaber, dousing them in its warm yellow glow.

"The Holocron Vault and the Jedi Archives are supposed to be here," she replied.

"Do you really think Palpatine held on to all that stuff?"

"Know your enemy. If there was one thing my grandfather was good at, it was knowing everything there was to know about his enemies."

"But the Jedi were gone. You said he had them all massacred."

"There were some survivors. Master Kenobi and Master Yoda. Jacen's father, Kanan. I don't know how many others. But Leia told me that the Emperor sent Vader out to hunt down any rogue Jedi he could find."

"All while he put out propaganda about how the how the Jedi were evil traitors." He did remember that from his studies.

"Exactly. Even now, there are people who believe it," Rey said sadly. The Jedi were far from perfect; Anakin's fall was proof of that. Even a Jedi as wise as Master Yoda lost his way. But that didn't mean they were evil. Simply flawed. Like any other institution created by sentient beings. Rey's effort to rebuild might be not be perfect either, but she knew she had to try.

"Do you think there are any more survivors out there?"

_A thousand generations live in you now._ That was what Luke had told her. She was the last Jedi. Or was she? People like Jacen and Finn were proof that there were others like her, beings that were strong with the Force. That didn't just stop because her grandfather tried to wipe out the Jedi. How many had suffered during the years of the Empire, hiding their true selves for fear of discovery? Kanan survived from the time he was young, still only a padawan when Order 66 happened. There had to be others.

"I don't know. Maybe." It was almost too much to hope for, someone to help her shoulder the burden of rebuilding. She glanced at Poe; he walked a little ahead of her, his hand on his blaster. She wasn't alone. She had Poe beside her, supporting her. He didn't believe he possessed much affinity for the Force, but she knew better. He'd proved that just a few hours ago when he came to her on the Falcon. They shared a unique connection, but from some of the things he'd told her, he felt the Force long before they met. He just didn't know what it was.

She'd find a way to show him. Soon.

"So, where do we go from here?"

Rey handed Poe her saber so she could consult the schematic. "According to this, we have to go up." He looked over her shoulder as she indicated the route.

"What's that?"

Rey squinted. "It used to be the Hall of Knighthood. Not sure what it is now." It looked like a bright well lit space; she had to admit to being curious. "It's on our way, so I guess we'll find out."

Poe handed the saber back to her. "Lead on, Master Jedi."

They walked through the corridors cautiously; Rey's senses were on high alert. The old temple had been abandoned for decades now; it showed. Some of the stone was chipped and cracked; the few windows on this level were filthy with pollution from the air outside. She sometimes sensed flickers of the past, of young padawans running through this very corridor chased by initiates chosen to tend them. In those days, the temple was a living breathing place, a home to so many.

She turned right; a spiral staircase took them up two more levels. She glanced at the schematic; they seemed to be close to the old Council chamber. Something pulled her that way; she followed the feeling. Poe thought about asking her where they were going, but he thought better of it. She was the Jedi, not him. The hall opened into a circular room high above the city; chairs that were once plush were arranged in the same circle. Rey's breathing hitched; hairs rose on her arms and neck. She moved slowly, Poe right behind. He seemed to sense it too; he held his blaster at the ready. The feeling only increased; she shuddered.

"Rey? You okay?"

She stopped, horror nearly choking her. Children, younglings hiding, the temple under attack, _fear. _It washed over her in a rush, bombarding her. She extinguished her saber and knelt down, tears in her eyes. "All of them. They trusted him and he just…" She could see one of the young faces, looking up at his hero, Anakin Skywalker. _Master Skywalker, the temple's under attack, what do we do?_ Only to be cut down by a bright blue blade.

Poe was beside her in a flash, holding her as she buried her face in his neck. "Shh, it's okay, mi amor. It's okay." He didn't know what she saw, but he could feel the echo of terror and pain around them. Whatever happened, it was truly evil.

"I used…oh Force, Poe, I _used _that saber," she sniffed.

"What saber?"

"Luke's. Before it was Luke's, it belonged to his father, Anakin. And he…" She knew the history, but that was different from experiencing it through the Force. "He slaughtered younglings. Right here. They trusted him and just cut them down. Children."

He couldn't bear the pain on her face, illuminated by the city lights. Staying here was only upsetting her more. He gently got her to her feet and coaxed her back into the corridor. "Rey, listen to me. That was Darth Vader. Not you. Didn't you say the saber chose you? Back on Starkiller?" She nodded. "And Anakin, he spoke to you, right?" She nodded again. "What did he say, do you remember?"

Rey took a deep breath; Poe's steady solid presence helped. "He said…he asked me to bring balance to the Force, as he once did. And I thought I did by…destroying the Emperor." She couldn't call him her grandfather; they might be blood kin, but she didn't want to be anything like him. "But sometimes I wonder if it's that simple."

Poe kissed her forehead. "You're right, it's probably not that simple. Remember what I said before, about the Force?"

"When did you become such a believer in the Force?"

"About the time a lovely brunette scavenger walked into my life," he teased with a gentle smile. "My point is, we're not defined by a single act, Rey. We are the sum of all our experiences. Sometimes, we take the wrong path. Sometimes the darkness wins, but we can always come back to the light and atone for those mistakes."

_And one act of atonement doesn't wash the slate clean_, Rey thought. Anakin saving Luke from the Emperor didn't absolve him, anymore than Ben saving her absolved him. True atonement was a lifelong journey, even if it wasn't perfect. No one was perfect. She could only do her best, just like anyone else. Fortunately, she had people around her who believed in her and loved her. She wouldn't let the darkness win, not when she had so much to live for.

Rey pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

"Any time, Sunshine."

Rey shook of the past; it was time to move forward. They returned the way they had come, searching for the Archives. When they got to the right floor, they found another long corridor. There was a light ahead, streaming in from what had to be a large window. The corridor served as a bridge over an enormous space. Banners hung from the walls, torn and frayed after so many years. A blood red carpet stretched across the floor, leading to a dais. Atop it lay an inky black throne. Palpatine's throne. The place from which he ruled the galaxy with an iron hand, destroying so many lives, including theirs.

Poe laid a hand on Rey's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Rey stared at the throne for a long minute. She sensed the hatred and cruelty, the violence and malevolence that came from that chair. It horrified her, but her grandfather was gone. He couldn't hurt anyone else; she'd made certain of that. "Yeah," she said softly. "I'll be okay." She offered him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, but he made no comment. "Come on."

They kept moving, pausing occasionally to get their bearings. The ziggurat was huge, far larger than Rey had anticipated. Chewie and BB-8 checked in on the comms; everything was still quiet. She led them left, then right again and up another staircase. "It should be right…here." Her jaw dropped as she took in the scene before her. The room was cavernous, lined with rows upon rows of glass shelving. There were a few tables and holoprojectors; was this a reading area?

"Whoa." Poe holstered his blaster, trying to look everywhere at once.

It was clearly meant to be a warm place, filled with light. The windows were partially blocked with stone and heavy curtains, which were covered in dust and filth. Poe walked over to one and tugged on it; it clattered to the ground. He had to jump out of the way, lest he get buried in cloth. But he accomplished his goal; bright starlight shined across the marble floors.

"This has to be the Jedi Archives," Rey said, her voice barely a whisper. She'd never seen anything like this in her life.

"Where do we start?"

"Honestly? I've no idea." They could spend weeks in here and not find what they were looking for.

"There has to be an index of some kind." He marched over to one of the holoprojector and tried to turn it on. No power. "Maybe I can hot wire it?"

"Can't hurt to try." While Poe did that (she tried not to stare as he laid out on the floor, ripping panels and wiring out), she moved toward the shelves. There were empty pedestals at the end of each one; had they displayed Jedi artifacts? Pieces of history? Had Luke already searched these halls searching for the same answers she did? Is that why he chose to rebuild elsewhere? Was there nothing here to find?

No. She didn't believe that. She couldn't believe that. The shelves near the reading area were empty; whatever they'd held was long gone. So much knowledge was housed in databanks; those were probably long gone or destroyed. But the Jedi didn't have everything on datachips; she knew that. The oldest most sacred texts were back on the Falcon. She just hoped there was more to be found. She moved deeper into the stacks, wrinkling her nose at all the dust. No one had been back here in decades. She headed down another row; this one wasn't empty. She raised her saber to get a better look.

Sabers. Row after row of saber hilts. Each was covered in a fine sheen of dust; some were tagged. The tags were written in Aurebesh; she struggled to translate them. The ink was faded; some of the letters were hard to make out. _Alle Veerthol._ There were no dates, so she couldn't determine how long ago the Jedi had lived. There were others, too many. She reached out, her hand hovering over one, but she snatched it back quickly. The Jedi's death flashed before her eyes; the being cut down in a hail of blaster fire. _Trophies, _she thought, horrified.

"Rey! I think I got it!"

She hurried back to Poe, who was looking rather pleased with himself. "Is it working?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's got power at least. Now all we need is one of those holo-things." He pointed to a triangular spot on the tabletop, indicating where the holocron should go.

"Holocron," Rey corrected.

"Whatever. Where are they?"

"Well, the Vault is a part of the Archives, so it should be here somewhere." She and Poe split up, searching for a door or some other access point that would lead to the Vault. Rey, reaching out with the Force, moved toward the edge of the Archives, toward the Second Hall. There between the Second and Fourth lay the remains of a security door. This was it; she could sense it. "Poe! I found it!"

He dashed over to where she stood, slightly out of breath. "Did someone break in here before us?"

Rey held out her hand. A vision floated before her eyes; a figure in a mask and dark cloak destroying the vault's security. "Vader. The Emperor wanted the Jedi's secrets, so Vader broke in."

Poe ran his fingers through his hair. "That's not good."

"It's too late now." She picked her way over the debris, moving into the circular hallway. Poe followed her warily, unsure what they were walking into. Rey ignited her saber again, the only light against the pitch black. Her heart sank as they took in the room. "Oh no."

"What?" Poe asked.

"I was so sure." Her voice cracked slightly. How could she have been so foolish? Luke would have saved the holocrons if they were there to be saved.

Poe picked his way through the destruction. Whatever was housed in this vault was long gone; the place was smashed. His heart broke for Rey; she needed this win so badly. She felt like she was flying blind; he didn't know how to help her. He could almost hear the Emperor's cackle as he devoured the Jedi's secrets, then destroyed them. He picked up a broken piece of shelving, needing something to throw. Before he could even raise his arm, he froze. A cloaked figure in black, blue light illuminating his scarred face. There it was, that laugh again. Poe shivered. What the hell?

"Rey." She kicked at more shattered shelving, feeling sorry for herself. When she didn't reply, he tried again. "Rey. I think…" He caught her arm. "I think, this is gonna sound crazy, but I don't think they were all destroyed."

Rey frowned, confused. "Poe, look at this place. It's a wreck."

"Yeah, I know, but…I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I saw him. Your…the Emperor. He was holding one. A blue sphere kinda thing?"

"How did you know that?" She hadn't shown him what a holocron looked like. There was no way he could know that.

"I told you. I saw it. Just now, when I touched this." He waved the broken shelf. "Rey, why did I see that?"

"I don't know." She squeezed his hand. "But I knew you had an affinity for the Force!" She kissed his cheek. "Tell me exactly what you saw, okay? If you're right, there might still be some holocrons here somewhere!"

She listened as he described what he saw. She handled the shelving too, but she saw nothing. She could feel the discomfort coming off him in waves; she believed he saw something. She looked through the schematic again, trying to find the room that Poe described. After a few minutes, she realized she was looking at this all wrong. Those were schematics of the Jedi Temple, not Palpatine's palace. She had to think like her grandfather. He would keep something as valuable as holocrons close to him. What did he value most? His power. What was the symbol of his power?

"I know where they are."

"You do?"

"I'm pretty sure. Come on!" She dashed off at a sprint, Poe hot on her heels. She retraced their path to the long corridor; rather than waste time with petty inconveniences like _stairs_, she vaulted over the railing and into the throne room below. She heard Poe curse as she landed on her feet, but she was too excited. He could catch up. She hurried up to the dais, only to hesitate. She was sure they were here, but how did she get to them? Rey closed her eyes, centering herself. She reached out into the Force, praying for guidance. A vision of Palpatine appeared before her; he was seated on the throne. Encouraged, she copied him, her right hand hovering over the touchpad.

"Rey?" A shiver ran down Poe's spine; what the Force was she up to?

"It's okay." She focused on her vision, her hand following her grandfather's movements. The heavy throne shifted under her, revealing a hidden storage compartment. Poe approached it warily, but Rey knelt beside it eagerly.

The blue glow illuminated her face; there were only a handful of the small oddly shaped spheres. Fewer than she hoped, but that made them infinitely more precious. "They were supposed to be all gone." The secrets of the Jedi were supposed to be extinct, but they'd been right here all the time.

Arrogance. That was why her grandfather hadn't destroyed them. As much as he hated the Jedi, he wanted their knowledge for his own. Even Palpatine couldn't learn it all in one lifetime, so he kept the most precious ones for himself.

"These are the holo-what?"

"Holocrons." Rey reached out and picked one up. It hummed in her hand. She held it in her palm, willing it to do…something. To her shock, some of the edges moved around, little triangles, like it was opening.

"Rey, you did it."

She looked at him, her smile lighting up her face. He was happy to see it. _"We_ did it," she corrected. "Not bad for someone who thinks they don't have the Force."

Poe shrugged. He was still a little freaked out, but it led them here. They could figure out what it all meant later. "Now what?"

"Now we just need to see what's on them." If her grandfather thought they were worth keeping, then they had to be important.

They gathered the half dozen holocrons and carried them back to the Archives. Hope surged in her chest as Rey dropped the holocron in the holoprojector carefully. The screen lit up; text appeared. It was working! She started to skim it, eager to discover anything the holocron could tell her.

"I'm never gonna see you now, am I?" Poe joked, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Rey turned away from the screen and up at her handsome fiancé. "I'm always gonna have time for you, flyboy."

He grinned. "Good." He stacked the holocrons he'd retrieved next to the projector; Rey slid over to make room for him. "What's this one for?"

"I'm not sure." It almost seemed to be written in riddles, which was frustrating. The word prophecy came up a lot though. "Looks like a lot of prophecy talk. Doesn't make sense though."

"Ugh, I hate those kinds of stories."

"Why?"

"Because it implies that we have no free will, no choices are our own."

"But the Force…"

He took her hand in his. After what happened to him today, he was starting to think she was right, that he did have an affinity for the Force. But even if he did, that didn't change the way he felt. "Do I think the Force brought us together? Yeah, I believe that. But the Force didn't make me fall in love with you, Rey. Loving you is a choice I make every day, because I want you in my life. I want to wake up with you in my arms, tell stupid jokes that make you laugh." He tugged gently on the chain around her neck. "I want to keep doing that for the rest of our lives, Sunshine. Together."

Touched by his words, she cupped his cheeks and kissed him. She'd never had anyone choose her before, not like this. To this day, she didn't understand the dyad bond she'd shared with Ben, but she'd never chosen it. He'd never chosen her. He coveted her power, almost until the very end. By saving her, he'd given her a chance at this. To _choose_ who she loved.

"I choose you too," she said quietly. "Always."

They sat there, foreheads pressed together, soaking each other in. Nothing in this entire archive could give her this. Perhaps knowledge was overrated. The moment was broken by Poe's comm.

"Finn? Is that you, buddy?"

"Yeah. We found it, Poe. We found it!"

Poe sat up straighter. "The missing planet? You found it?"

"Yeah, you better get down here. It'll be easier to show you."

"Alright. We'll be right there."


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note:** This one's got some canon-typical action in it, just an FYI. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Chapter 13**

The map room was nothing like Rey expected. Frankly, she wasn't sure what she expected, but a cavernous room with a single elongated holoprojector wasn't high on her list. Like she and Poe, Finn and Jannah needed to scrounge some power to run the system. A holomap of the quadrant in question hovered above their heads; Rey had a feeling of déjà vu. Had it only been a year since she and Finn met Han Solo on the Millennium Falcon? It felt like another lifetime. So much had changed. _She _had changed.

One glance at Finn told her he was feeling the same way.

"So, what are we looking at?" Poe asked, gesturing toward the display.

Finn entered a new command; the map zoomed out even more. "This is us, here on Coruscant." The planet lit up in yellow. Finn added a few more landmarks, to get their bearings. Naboo was green, Ajan Kloss blue, and the area where the mystery planet was supposed to be was orange.

"Where is it?" Poe asked. "Finn, you said you found it!"

"We did. Hang on a minute." He entered another command and the map zoomed back in. "It took us a few tries to find a map that was old enough; it was even missing from the old Imperial maps."

"Wait, if it wasn't on the Imperial maps…"

"Way ahead of you." Finn added yet another command; the command stacked maps on top of each other. "Once we found the system, we decided to see if we could figure out when it was removed from the archives."

"That's good thinking, Finn!" Poe cried, finally feeling like they were getting somewhere.

Rey examined the maps carefully. The data stretched back over a hundred years; that gave her hope. At least it was a planet that—at one time—had been connected to the larger galaxy. Her finger hovered over where the system was. "Caenia."

"When did Caenia go missing and why?" Poe asked. The name wasn't familiar to him, not that it would be. He was pretty sure it had never been a part of the Old Republic, though, to be fair, there were literally _thousands _of systems. No one knew them all.

"It looks like it was right about here." Rey flipped the holo around so Poe could see. "About ninety-two years ago, give or take."

Poe frowned. "That doesn't make sense. If it was before the Empire, how did someone from the First Order find it? That's _decades."_

Rey sighed. "Well, we know now that my…the Emperor was behind the First Order all the time. It was created by old Imperials, right? If it was someone from the Emperor's inner circle…"

"That'd be an awfully tight circle, Sunshine." Anyone who got near the Emperor usually wound up dead.

"Yeah, but it only takes one. If this is the home of undercover assassins, then they've been doing this for a _while_, maybe even during the time of the Empire. We have no way of knowing until we go there."

"Which is what I wanted to do in the first place," Poe muttered under his breath. Everyone ignored him. To be honest, he was still a little disconcerted about the vision he'd had. He'd only ever seen holovids of the Emperor; it nearly all of them he was a hooded, cloaked figure in black. History said that the Emperor rarely left his palace during his reign; it was what made his visit to the second Death Star so striking. History might have been wrong. Plus, prior to the formation of the Empire, Palpatine was just a man. A Sith Lord. Maybe he was in a position like Rey, seeking artifacts and knowledge. Only for evil.

He shuddered.

Rey appeared at his side, her hand on his arm. "Hey, you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm good."

"You looked a little far away for a minute." She spoke softly, not wanting to draw Finn's attention. She rubbed his arm. "The vision?"

He covered her hand with his. "It was just…unexpected, that's all. I'm fine, sweetheart."

"I was terrified after my first vision," she confessed. "I tried to run away from all this."

"What stopped you?"

She smiled. "Beebee-Ate, actually. Plus, the First Order attacked, so I couldn't get very far." She could sense his unease and confusion, but he was actually doing really well. Better than she had. Unlike her, Poe didn't have to figure all this out alone.

"For the record, I'm glad you didn't. Run, I mean. Not the other stuff."

She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "I'm glad I didn't either." If she'd somehow succeeded, she'd have missed out on all of this. Her friends, her family, the love of her life. "I know it feels scary and overwhelming, Poe. But I promise you, we'll figure it out. Trust me?"

"Of course." He smirked. "Does this mean I get a lightsaber?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "What is it with you two and the lightsabers?"

"It's a pretty slick weapon," Poe said. "Though I admit to being a blaster guy myself."

Rey laughed. "One of these days, Poe Dameron, you and I are going to have a real sparring match. Then we'll see."

"I look forward to it." Rey's soft presence did him good; he felt more himself. Now that they had a timeline for when the planet disappeared from the archives, they set about learning all they could about it. They spent a few hours going through all the information Finn and Jannah collected. It wasn't a lot, but it was more than they had before. The system's star had once gone supernova, millennia ago; it had since collapsed into a dwarf star. That was why the climate on the moon was so inhospitable. A perfect hiding place for any being that didn't want to be found.

"How can anyone live like that?" Jannah asked, amazed.

"I don't think I'd call being conditioned living," Finn said darkly.

"Not everyone though," Jannah argued. "The officers actually believe all that superiority rot. Ours did. Far too many people are only out for themselves, Finn."

Rey didn't want to admit it, but she thought Jannah was right. She'd seen it every day back on Jakku. She was certain the First Order was filled with true believers, whether they were old Imperial hardcases or more recent recruits. One of the reasons there were so few people in the Resistance was because people tended to look out for themselves first. Perhaps not maliciously, but it took a special kind of person to put others before themselves.

"Okay, we know the where and the when," Poe said, changing the subject. They didn't have time for a philosophical debate; they had a mission. "Let's figure out what we need to infiltrate this place and get the hell out of here."

"There's not much left," Finn said. "We scoured the place on our way here, looking for cold weather gear and supplies, but if there was any, it's long gone."

"So, what do we do?" Rey asked.

"We'll have to go into the city." Poe went back to the holoprojector and pulled up a map of the city-planet. "As we're trying to keep a low profile, our best bet is to head down into the lower levels." Coruscant was far more than just the surface level that appeared on all the holoreels. Underneath, there was a teaming mass of humans and aliens from all over the galaxy. It was also home to the intricate web of the underworld, a nearly lawless place despite the so-called defense force.

"Poe, are you sure that's a good idea?" Finn asked.

"I'm not crazy about it, but it's the fastest way to find what we need without alerting any authorities."

"So, we're going to steal."

"Unless you've got 50,000 credits lying around?" The Resistance had never been cash rich; the little they did have was Leia's personal fortune. Now that she was gone, they were on their own.

Finn chuckled. "No, it's just funny that the former spice runner waited until now to suggest we steal."

"We steal all the time!" Poe snapped. This was why he'd never told them about his past. He wasn't proud of it, even though the skills it gave him served him well. "And the very first thing you and I did together was steal a TIE fighter!"

"Hey," Rey said, giving Finn a stern look. _Lay off,_ she thought to Finn. Finn had no way of knowing about Poe's vision and how unnerved he was by it. If Poe didn't want to confide in Finn just yet, then she wasn't going to interfere. Discovering an affinity for the Force was—as Finn would put it—a big deal. She only knew about it because she and Poe shared a unique connection. She secretly hoped that the holocrons they'd saved could give her some answers about it. It didn't _feel_ anything like the dyad bond, but they were connected. The last thing she wanted was to make Poe uncomfortable. She'd promised to never get in his head, and she meant it.

Finn blinked at her, but ultimately, he nodded. "Okay," Rey continued. "Where's the best place to get the equipment we need?"

Poe spent the next few minutes laying out his plan. Level 1782 was mostly a junkyard; if they were going to find the parts for the Falcon anywhere on Coruscant, it would be there. The winter gear would be trickier, but that far down into the heart of Coruscant, the colder it was. They stood a good chance of finding some just discarded. Or they might find a local to help them. Leia once told him about the Alderaan quarter, populated by refugees after the planet was destroyed by the Empire. If they dropped Leia's name, they might help. She was still very loved by her people; Poe didn't want it to come to that though. They were going to need to learn to fend for themselves.

"How many levels are there?" Rey asked as they headed back to the Falcon.

"Over five thousand," Poe said. "Once you get below the surface, there's almost no direct sunlight. The air's filthy. We should grab some breathers from the ship, just in case." He didn't want to be down there any longer than was necessary, but he'd learned to be prepared for anything.

Rey—who'd grown up on the open sands of Jakku—couldn't even imagine such a place, let alone live there, day after day. "Is that why this place has bad memories for you?"

"Who said that?"

"You didn't have to. You've been tense since we got here."

"Rey, this mission could be the decisive factor in getting a solid government off the ground. Do you know how much chaos there would be if leaders started dropping like flies?" It would also keep the last Jedi safe, but he didn't say that. He needed to think with his head and not with his heart.

He just didn't know what he would do if he lost anyone else he cared about.

Rey didn't need to use any Jedi tricks to understand what he wasn't saying. Did he think he was the only one afraid? She understood the risks and what was at stake. Didn't he know the ache she felt in her chest every time he and Finn left on a mission without her during the war? How terrified she was that she might never see him again? It was ten times worse now that they were together. Perhaps it was this fear that the Jedi tried to avoid by forgoing attachments, but for Rey, _not_ loving Poe, _not_ being with him, was worse. She'd been alone virtually all her life; with Poe, she'd found the home she so desperately craved.

She couldn't be the best version of herself without Poe and her friends in her life. Their love—and her love for them—made her strong.

They split at the top of the gangway; Finn, Jannah, Poe and Rey headed in different directions to drop their gear. Rey secured the holocrons in the captain's quarters, beside the ancient Jedi texts. She grabbed an old poncho from the wardrobe; she wondered if it had been Leia's. It was too small for someone Han's size.

Poe came in looking distracted. "Oh, there you are."

"How do I look?"

"Like you're heading into the lion's den."

Rey gently grabbed his wrist. "Hey, stay with me, okay? We watch each other's backs, everything will work out."

"The Force tell you that?"

Rey kissed him. "No. You did, remember?"

Poe blinked. Force, that was so long ago, he thought she'd forgotten. Hell, _he'd_ forgotten. They'd done numerous supply runs for the Resistance after Crait, before Rey started her Jedi training in earnest. Gotten into their fair share of scrapes too. But he never doubted for a second that Rey had his back. He had hers. That was the foundation of their friendship. And, if he was being honest, that was when he fell for her. He smiled. "Yeah, I remember."

"Come on, General. Let's do this."

* * *

The absconding with goods part of their plan started almost right away; they needed a couple of speeders to get them down into the lower levels. Rey and Jannah took one, Poe, Finn and BB-8 the other. Chewie was not happy about being left behind to watch the ship, but they didn't have much choice. He would draw too much attention. Even on Coruscant, Wookies were considered unusual.

"Did you have any luck?" Rey asked, weaving in and out of the traffic, following Poe's lead.

Jannah shook her head. "I knew it was a lost shot."

"Don't give up. I'm sure the answers are out there."

"That's what Finn keeps saying. But sometimes I wonder. I don't remember my family. My parents, brothers, sisters, pets. Nothing. I'm sure they've forgotten I exist, if they're even still alive."

Rey eased the speeder down another level. She could see Finn and Poe talking, but they were too far away for her to make anything out. "My parents sold me, when I was very young," she confided. Jannah seemed so lost; Rey thought her own story might help. Jannah's Force signature was filled with streaks of green and silver; she was a warrior. In many respects, Jannah reminded her of Finn. "They were trying to protect me. I spent years counting the days until they came back for me. Only they never did. I didn't find out until recently that they were murdered."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"I don't talk about it a lot." Rey didn't delve any deeper than that. She liked Jannah well enough, but she hadn't confided her true identity to anyone but her three closest friends. And Kes, of course. Being a former stormtrooper, Rey wasn't sure how Jannah would take it.

"Does Finn know?"

"Yeah." Something about Jannah's tone made Rey do a double take. "Just so you know, Finn and I have only ever been friends. There's no other kind of…history there."

Jannah's stance visibly relaxed. "Right. I wasn't trying to imply…"

Rey smiled. "It's okay. I get it." She glanced forward to where the boys were. "Poe, Finn and I have been through a lot together. We've become family. But Finn…he cares about you. A lot."

Jannah glanced away, embarrassed. "I, uh, care about him too."

"I'm happy for you both."

"You, ah, seem pretty happy too," her new friend observed.

"Poe's a good man." Her cheeks flushed as Jannah arched a brow at her. "What?"

"You two are not nearly as discreet as you think."

Rey blushed harder, but she said nothing. She wasn't going to apologize for anything she and Poe did together. After everything they'd been through, they deserved to be happy and in love.

"What's gotten into you?" Finn asked, checking the levels as they descended. "You're not usually this surly. Not since you and Rey…you know."

Poe clenched his jaw, trying to focus on his breathing. He wasn't upset at Finn. He wasn't usually this discombobulated, especially when there was a mission. It wasn't even the vision. It was the fact that he'd _had _the vision in the first place. It wasn't that long ago that Finn accused him of not being able to understand what Rey was dealing with when it came to the Dark Side. Because Poe hadn't shown any real signs of being like Rey or Finn. He knew the Force existed. He couldn't have seen the things he'd seen and not accept the evidence of his eyes. But he'd resigned himself to being "normal."

Truthfully, that moment on Kef Bir had left him feeling hurt and jealous, because Finn and Rey shared something he wasn't a part of. Finn had always protested that he and Rey were friends, but the heart was not a logical organ. In that moment, he felt like he was losing Rey and she wasn't even his to lose. He was the odd man out and it hurt.

Now, it seemed like Rey had been right all along. He did have some level of Force sensitivity and he didn't know what to do about it. Rey and Finn just seemed to _know_, to _accept_, the Force as a part of their lives. Why was this happening to him now? He didn't understand and it bothered him.

"I, uh, had a vision. While we were searching through the Jedi Archives."

Finn blinked, momentarily stunned. "A vision? Like a Force vision?"

"Do you know any other kind?" Poe winced; that came out harsher than he intended. "Sorry."

"Is that why you've been on edge? The vision?"

"Not so much the vision itself, just the fact that I had it, you know?"

Finn nodded sagely. "Hey, I get that. The first time Rey and I realized we could talk to each other without speaking, it freaked me out."

Poe frowned. "Wait, you guys can do that?" He couldn't do that with Rey! Granted, they hadn't tried, but she was his fiancé!

"No idea how or why, but yeah."

"That's just great." He was being irrational about this. Poe knew that. Rey's friendship with Finn wasn't a threat to what they had. It was just a lot to take in at once.

"Hey, if you're worried about Rey…"

"I'm not. We're all family, Finn." He sighed. "You remember when we were on Kef Bir and Rey took off?" Finn nodded. "It just hit me like a punch in the gut. That no matter how close we were as friends, I would always be on the outside looking in. You two seemed to share something I couldn't touch."

Finn frowned. "Poe, I didn't mean it like that. Kriff, I'm sorry. I was worried about Rey and…scared. She told me about her vision, and I could feel her slipping toward the Dark. Turns out she didn't need us, after all."

Poe shook his head. "No, you're wrong, Finn. We were there with her on Exegol. She told me. And for the record, I was worried about her too."

"Yeah, I noticed." Finn shared a look with his friend; Poe thought his feelings for Rey had been well hidden, but Finn knew better. He'd seen them together too many times. It was just a matter of time before they figured it out for themselves.

Poe sighed. "Why now though? That's what I don't understand."

"Poe, overthinking it will only make you crazy. Believe me."

Poe chuckled. "You're probably right."

Finn clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Welcome to the club, buddy. We'll figure this out together."

Poe nodded. Rey made a similar promise. He was glad he had his two best friends to help him figure this out. In the meantime, they had a job to do. It took some time, but they finally got to level 1782. They parked the speeders in one of the alleys; unless one of them stayed behind, it wasn't likely the speeders would be there when they returned. Still, it didn't hurt to try to keep them concealed. If that didn't work, they could always steal more.

"Okay, let's split up," Poe said, rubbing his hands together. The only light was artificial, a nearby wall mounted lamp. The shade was filthy, so the light it provided was marginal at best. He could barely see Rey and she was standing right next to him. He felt her squeeze his arm though. "Everyone has their list. Get the supplies you need and meet back here."

"What if we can't find winter gear?"

"Then we'll look somewhere else, after we regroup."

They were heading out in pairs, because this part of the city just wasn't safe for a lone traveler, especially at this hour. Rey's slender frame was fairly well covered in the poncho, but Poe still saw her shiver. "Hopefully, this won't take long," he murmured as they walked toward the junkyard.

Rey wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "It gets cold on Jakku, but not like this." Since night had fallen, there was no sunlight to filter down, but it couldn't have even if it were noon on the sunniest day of the year. There was too much city above their heads. The darkness was almost oppressive, like a living, breathing thing. The air was filled with dirt and soot and exhaust; it smelled foul.

Poe wanted to pull her against him, but they needed to be on their guard. "Too much jungle on Yavin," Poe said, rubbing her shoulders. "You'll be desperate to get away from the heat."

"But it's so green and beautiful," she said wistfully. Sure, Yavin 4 was humid, but she'd come to love it. They'd talked many times about building their home there; Rey could think of nowhere better.

"That's your favorite color, isn't it, Sunshine? Green."

"Yeah. How did you know?" Her hazel eyes shined in the light of his torch; he could feel her surprise and happiness.

Poe grinned. "Before we left for Pasaana, you were staring at the trees, remember? When I thought about it later, I realized that you do that a lot, especially when we go somewhere new. So…green."

Rey found his hand in the darkness; it was such a small thing, but she loved that he took the time to notice. She wondered what his was. "The first time I saw green, _real _green, I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

"Takadona's lovely. Well, it was." The battle there had ruined some of its beauty, but he was optimistic it would return.

"What's your favorite color?"

Poe smirked. "You don't want to guess? Maybe Jedi mind trick it out of me?"

"Poe."

"I'm just teasing. But I think I still want you to guess."

Rey eyed his profile and considered him. Passing under dirty streetlamps and shop signs cast interesting shadows over his face. The angle of his jaw, the curve of his cheekbones, the nose that should be slightly too large for his face but somehow suited him perfectly. Rey suspected it might have been broken once or twice, but that suited him too. They were on an important mission, but she wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to study her handsome fiancé.

She thought about everything she knew about him. His love of flying, his cocky attitude about said flying, his kindness, his bravery, his heart. What color most summed up the man she loved? BB-8 rolled behind them, his beeps drawing her from her thoughts. Wait. BB-8. The one of a kind orange and white droid, beloved of his master. A droid treated more like a child than a servant. "Orange. That's your favorite color. Orange."

Poe blinked at her. "Are you sure you didn't pluck that out of my head?" How the hell did she get it on the first try?

"You know I wouldn't do that. Does that mean I'm right?"

"Yeah. It was the color of my mother's flight suit as part of civilian defense force, one of the first memories I have of her."

Rey smiled. "That's a sweet memory, Poe."

"What gave it away?"

"Beebee-Ate. And your X-wing. Orange accents?"

Poe laughed. "So, I'm just that obvious, huh?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

He really wanted to pull her close and kiss her (she was really cute in the hooded poncho), but that was a bad idea. "Well, I'd like to think I still have s_ome _surprises for you, Sunshine. Forever's a long time."

Rey touched the spot where her ring rested, right over her heart. She truly couldn't wait to see what their future held. One thing was certain; they would never be bored. Every day she had with him was an adventure; she truly couldn't put the way she felt about him into words. Forever was a long time. But when you were with the right person? It was everything.

She reached out and took his hand in hers. "Never stop surprising me, flyboy."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Poe squeezed her hand; just that small thing eased the anxiety in his chest. A lot was happening all at once, but as long as he had Rey beside him, he could face it. He'd face down the entire First Order for her.

All of level 1782 was a junkyard; the alley they'd left the speeders in turned out to be an offshoot of what amounted to the main thoroughfare through place. They were quickly surrounded by piles upon piles of discarded trash. Heaps of twisted metal and broken vehicles rose high above their heads. It was eerie, with long shadows and wind swirling through the junk. "Where do we even start?"

Poe shook his head. "We'll just have to do the best we can. Stay close though, okay?" He had a feeling it would be easy to get lost in here. The most important parts were for the Falcon's engine, to keep it from seizing up in Caenia's frigid temperatures. They knew from the ship's logs, that Han had been forced to make similar modifications when the Rebellion was on Hoth. That, of course, was over thirty years ago. They were going to have to improvise.

Rey had her list memorized; she scanned the junk piles looking for likely parts. Her scavenger's eye allowed her to evaluate and dismiss things quickly. If there was one thing she knew, it was ships. They needed insulation for the fuel lines, updated sub-alternators, and reactor cradles designed for the cold. And that was just to start. She had another list as long as her arm of other parts the Falcon needed, but she didn't have time. As Poe pointed out, the clock was ticking.

Whoever sent her would be assassin could discover Armas' fate at any time; if they were smart, they'd move on to another base of operations. If that happened, they would be right back where they started.

She slipped some insulated fuel lines into her pack, then she raised her torch. The lightsaber was too recognizable. They hadn't seen anyone so far, but that didn't mean they wouldn't. The light glinted off something silver above her head; Rey held the light between her teeth, leaving her hands free for climbing. The pile must have been there a long time; it barely shifted under her weight. She scaled it nimbly, metal scraping and scratching. The sound seemed to echo; she cursed silently. She just needed a few more feet. Rey pulled herself up, hanging on with one hand as she reached for the precious part. The reactor cradle fell into her hand, a little dented, but useable. Triumphant, she tucked it into her pack.

Then all hell broke loose.

An engine fired and metal scraped as a vehicle clicked into gear. Before Rey could see what it was, the pile she was perched on _lurched_ as something huge and heavy knocked into it. She fell several feet, jagged metal tearing her skin and clothes. She cried out in pain, but she was more worried about staying upright and conscious. The same thing charged the trash pile again, like it was trying to knock it over and take Rey with it.

"_REY!"_

She heard Poe's cry, but she didn't have the breath to respond. She finally leaped free of the twisting, crushing metal, curling in a ball to break her fall. Once she was on her feet, Rey snatched her lightsaber off her belt and ignited it. "Show yourself!"

She dashed around a corner, seeking her attacker. Blaster fire struck around her; she ducked, deflecting any that came too close. The fire wasn't aimed well, which indicated a being unfamiliar with the weapon. What the hell was going on?

Poe heard the shots right after he saw Rey fall. He yanked out his blaster and fired back, his heart in his throat. He heard the distinct hum of Rey's lightsaber; he dashed after her. His satchel was heavy, but he didn't dare lose it. They would need those parts! "Rey!" he called. "Rey!"

There was an almighty crash; Poe ducked instinctively. When he straightened, he found Rey holding her hand out. A falling metal and glass hung in the air like a waterfall, held back by the Force. Rey's brow creased in concentration as she shoved the debris back; it crashed into another pile a few feet away. Poe wondered if he would ever get used to seeing that. Probably not. What was even more astonishing was the identity of who Rey had just saved.

_Children._

A trio of Iktotchi children hovered several feet away. One was clearly the protector, the oldest, tallest, though they couldn't have been more than twelve. A blaster lay on the ground several feet away. Had they _fired _on her? Poe couldn't fathom why.

Rey sensed Poe's presence. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. You?"

"A few scrapes, but I'll be fine."

Poe frowned; she had at least one nasty cut on her arm. If they didn't get bacta on it, it would get infected. He started to step forward, but the children flinched. "Okay. I'll just stay right here."

Rey stepped forward, her hands held up. Now that she wasn't being shot at, her heart broke for these children. They were dirty, half starved, clearly afraid of something. She had a feeling they weren't afraid of her though. "My name's Rey," she said softly. "This is my friend, Poe. We're trying to find some parts for our ship."

"That's stealing," the littlest Iktotchi piped up. Poe wasn't an expert, but that one was probably female. "This is Kalwi's territory. You can't have it!"

"Territory?"

Poe groaned. "You mean the gangs have claimed this too? You've got to be kidding me."

"Poe, I don't understand."

Poe holstered his blaster and stepped forward. "Remember when I said this was the underworld? That's not an exaggeration. There are cartels and gangs and smugglers down here, Sunshine. Each one out for themselves. Every last one of them trying to get an advantage over the other, by any means necessary."

"But Poe, these are c_hildren."_

"I didn't say it was right. Just that it happens."

Rey knelt down so she was eye level with the oldest child. "What's your name?"

The Iktotchi's long tapered fingers twitched; his eyes flickered to the discarded blaster. "You're a Jedi."

One of the boy's siblings piped up. "Jedi aren't _real_, Anli! They're just a story! You said they were a story!"

The boy—Anli—shushed his sibling. "Are you?" he said again to Rey. "A Jedi?"

"I am. How do you know about the Jedi?"

Anli's arm slipped around his youngest sister. "Our nan, she used to tell me stories. She said that her uncle was a Jedi, but I didn't believe her. If he was a Jedi, why didn't he know about us? Why let us live like this?"

Rey had no idea how these children got caught up in…whatever they were caught up in, but she was determined to do something about it. "Long ago, Jedi were taken from their families when they were very young," she explained. "And then the Emperor…he killed them all and said they were traitors."

"Nan never believed that."

"She sounds like a wise person." Rey gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Anli? We're not here to hurt you. We're taking a trip and need some very specialized parts for our ship. Can you help us?"

The youngest clutched at her brother's sleeve. "You can't, Anli! We'll get into so much trouble!"

"Quiet, Yife!"

"What kind of trouble?" Poe asked. He was still standing far enough away as to not appear threatening. He didn't know that many Iktotchi; he'd never met a child before.

Anli looked from Rey to Poe and back; he was wary, but brave. He was also clearly protective of his siblings. How long had they been living like this? Where were their parents? Poe glanced beyond them, spotting the bulldozer. It was parked at an odd angle, though that might be because Rey shoved at it with the Force. "Did you drive that thing?"

Anli nodded. Poe wasn't sure if he was impressed or furious. Yeah, they might be children, but Rey could have been seriously hurt. Jedi weren't indestructible. Before Poe could call him out, Rey spoke. "We can help you," she said to Anli. "Where are your parents?"

"Dead," Anli said in a flat voice. "We belong to Kalwi now."

Rey's jaw clenched. "You don't _belong _to anyone. You're not a slave."

"Kalwi protects us, gives us a place to live. As long as we do what he wants, we're safe."

"But you're not safe here," Rey pointed out. "If this Kalwi person has you doing this, then he thinks you're expendable. He _doesn't _care about you; I promise you that."

"Why attack us?" Poe demanded.

"Because you're _stealing_," Yife piped up, trying to sound very important. She was so young, her horns were only a less than six inches long.

"But this just junk," Poe pointed out.

"Unless it's not," Rey said darkly. "Unless there's something else here this Kalwi doesn't want anyone to find."

"Rey, you really think a crime syndicate would send _children_ to guard some secret stash?"

She stood, hands on her hips. "Actually, yes. I do. You have no idea what beings like Unkar Plutt are capable of."

"We don't have time for this," Poe said, trying to sound reasonable. "We have a mission."

"You think I don't know that? I'm not leaving children behind to fend for themselves, Poe! It's not right!"

"They seem to be getting along just fine," he snapped. At Rey's look of horror, he backtracked. "I didn't mean it like that, Rey."

"Sounds like you did." She glared at him, her jaw set. "Just because you've never known what it's like to be hungry and afraid doesn't make you better than anyone."

"I never said that! All I'm saying is that we can't help everyone, especially if they don't want our help! You and Finn have been after me to think more like a general and not let my emotions get in the way! That's what I'm trying to do, Rey! Put the mission first! If we don't get to Caedia soon, our only lead is going to evaporate! And I'm not letting that happen."

"Fine. You go. Find Finn and Jannah. You can go to Caedia. I'm getting to the bottom of this."

"Rey…" Did she think he would just leave her here? She couldn't go marching into a potential gang war by herself! "Rey, please just listen to me!" he pleaded. "Please."

She'd turned away from him, but she'd stopped walking. He chose to take that as a good sign. He walked around her still form until he was facing her. She was almost vibrating with anger. "I understand why you feel you need to do this," he began. "I know you don't think I do, but I do." He hoped she could sense his sincerity. "I've seen a lot of terrible things, all across the galaxy. Things I couldn't fix. Things that kept me up at night. So, I get it. If you really want to help, then we're doing it together. Because I'm not leaving you. I made you a promise when I asked you to marry me, Rey. We're a team."

Rey blinked; her anger thawed somewhat. She understood why Poe felt the need to put their mission first, but she couldn't turn her back on children. She couldn't. She looked at them and saw herself. She wished someone could have helped her when she was their age. Now, she could be the one who helped.

The middle child had been so quiet, Rey was surprised when she felt a tiny hand tug on her poncho. The child's dark eyes were scared but determined. Rey knelt down on one knee, so she was eye level. "What's your name, little one?"

"Ranne," the child replied. "Can I see your sword?"

Rey smiled. "It's called a lightsaber." She unclipped it from her belt and held it up. She spun the dial ignition with her thumb; the blade burst forth. Ranne's eyes were wide and fascinated; instinctively, she reached out to touch. "Careful," Rey said softly. "It's not a toy."

"It's pretty."

"Yeah, it is." She liked that hers was a color that was rare, even for a Jedi. According to everything she read, only purple was rarer than yellow.

Ranne turned her eyes back to Rey. "Can you help us?"

"I think I can. We can." She glanced at Poe, still standing several feet away. His eyes were soft now; she couldn't place the emotion she saw there. "But we need your help too. Do you think you can do that?"

Anli stepped up. "No, Ranne. Don't tell her anything."

Rey looked up at the young boy. His chest was puffed out like he was trying too hard. But Rey sensed his fear. Whatever they were guarding, she was certain he knew what it was. The rest was just an act to keep his sisters close, so they wouldn't ask too many questions. "We can help you. We can get you away from here, somewhere safe. I promise."

"We're doing just fine on our own."

Poe stepped closer. "Think about your sisters. Do you want them living like this?"

Ranne tugged on her brother's sleeve. "Anli, please. Please don't make us stay here! Please!"

Rey studied the young girl. She was clearly terrified of something. Or someone. Gods knew what she'd already been asked to do by the cartel that "owned" them. Rey had dealt with her fair share of nastiness on Jakku; she'd learned early how to defend herself. By the time BB-8 dropped into her life, most regulars in Niima Outpost knew not to mess with her. She could tell that this girl had no such luxury.

Anli's brow furrowed, the conflict clear on his face. But he wanted to protect his sisters, desperately. Even Poe could sense that. He knew it's how he would have felt, if he had little sisters. He could almost feel the lead on Caenia slipping away, but Rey was right. Wasn't this what they were fighting for? This was what the war had been about, freeing the galaxy from tyranny. They'd defeated the First Order, but that didn't mean their job was done.

Seeing Rey with the children made his heart ache. If she chose that path, she would be such a good mother. _Get it together, Dameron, _he thought. _Worry about the mission._

Anli glanced from Rey to Poe, then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "There's a stash of hyperfuel."

"Coaxium?" Poe asked, surprised. And a little angry to be honest. "They've got you guarding a stash of coaxium? Don't you know how volatile that is?"

"What is it?"

Poe clenched his fist. "It's the material that fuels starships. If it's not properly refined and contained, it can explode."

"Where is it, Anli?" Rey asked.

He pointed to a spot over Rey's left shoulder. "The old broken down crusher. Kalwi ordered us to keep people away from there. He said that if it was stolen, he'd take my sisters and sell me off to the Hutts."

Rey turned to Poe. "We have to get them out of here, Poe. And get that coaxium." She wasn't letting anyone who exploited children profit. Not if she could do something about it.

Poe opened his mouth to argue, then he changed his mind. The blazing look in her eyes dissuaded him. He didn't want to get into another fruitless argument; Rey would do this, with or without him. "We'll need more than just the two of us." He didn't want to use the comms, but what choice did they have?

"Finn and Jannah can take the children back to the Falcon."

"The Falcon? Rey, we can't take them into a war zone." He had no idea what they would face once they got to Caedia, but he knew it wasn't a place for children.

"We can't just leave them here!"

"I'm not saying that." His brow furrowed as he wracked his brain for a solution. "But we should get them off planet."

"Anli, do you have any other family? Anywhere you can go?"

"We were born here. There is nowhere else."

Rey's heart clenched. She was afraid of that. "What about Yavin?" She looked at Poe hopefully. "Could we put them on a transport and send them to Kes? Just until we can find another solution?"

"That's not a bad idea, actually." They would be safe on Yavin. And his dad was always looking for help running the ranch. "If we stop in the Alderaan quarter, I bet we could find someone to travel with them, just in case."

Rey was so grateful that she ran over and hugged him. Poe hugged her back, but he felt her wince. "We need to get that cut looked at, Sunshine."

"It's fine, a scratch."

Poe looked stern. "No sense in arguing, Master Jedi. Go ahead and call Finn. I'm looking at it. Now sit."

Rey rolled her eyes, but she did as he asked. After she called Finn on her comm, sheand BB-8 entertained the children with some of her Force abilities while Poe tended her arm. The pain barely registered; she'd been through worse. After dying, a little pain felt like nothing. Poe cleaned it with some water from his canteen and tore some silk stripes from the lining of his coat. The bleeding had mostly stopped, but he wanted to keep it as clean as possible until they got back to the Falcon. Then he could tend her properly.

"Where'd you get so good at that?" Rey asked.

"Got stuck in some pretty hairy places, Sunshine," he murmured. "We'll put some bacta on it when we get back."

"Seriously, Poe. It's fine."

"You can't heal _yourself_," he chided. "And there's no one else. So, just let me do this for you, okay?"

She could sense how worried he was about her, so she let it pass. Part of her really liked the way he took care of her. She hadn't had that since she was a child. He was more or less sacrificing their mission to do this for her. She knew that. Every minute they delayed could lead to losing the small advantage they had. If Operation Python discovered that Armas had been captured, they would evacuate and disappear into the stars. Time was of the essence. But Rey couldn't turn her back. It wasn't in her nature.

All she could do was pray they wouldn't be too late.

* * *

"Are you sure I can't just lift it out?" Rey asked, her saber held aloft to light their way. They were deep under the junkyard now, hopefully headed toward the broken crusher. She was relying on the Force to guide them in the right direction.

"We don't know how it's secured," Poe replied, wiping sweat from his brow. It was cold topside, but it was uncomfortably warm hiking through the tunnels. They had no idea what was down there, aside from the coaxium. "Unless it's stored properly, you might set it off. That's enough power to run every ship in the fleet for at least a year."

Finn, Jannah and BB-8 had already taken the young Iktotchi (hopefully) to the Alderaan quarter. It was several hundred levels up from the junkyard. Rey and Poe remained behind to take care of the coaxium. Poe had no idea how much there was; the Resistance could use the extra fuel. It was one of the most precious commodities in the galaxy; it would fetch a high price on the black market. Poe felt no compunctions about stealing it from gangsters.

"Done this before, General?"

"Nope. But I did pay attention to things that could blow me up in school, Sunshine."

She laughed. "I wish I could have seen you then."

"I'm sure Papa will be all too willing to show you more embarrassing holos of me the next time we're home."

Rey led them left, then right, then left again. The tunnel slowly started to open wider; she sensed they were close. "Poe."

"Right there with you, Rey." The tunnel was wide enough now for them to stand abreast; he pointed his torch toward the ceiling. The seam of doors lay before them. He looked around for an access panel, something to get some power to open the doors, but he jumped back when Rey s_tabbed_ the metal with her lightsaber. It cut through it like butter, metal glowing red hot as she began to cut a hole through it. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she worked; Poe simply stared in awe.

It took a couple of minutes, but Rey finally extracted her saber and held out her hand. Poe watched as she used the Force to push the metal through the hole she created; it fell to the ground with a loud metallic crash. "Um, wow."

Rey flushed. "Come on, flyboy." She led them into the chamber; it was filled with debris. Which made sense, considering the unit's former function. It was designed to crush and shred metal, to make it small enough for transport. She kicked some jagged pieces away with her boot. "Where do we start?"

"Well, unrefined coaxium would have exploded by now, so let's start looking for shielded storage cubes."

It was slow going. They had to split up; it got considerably darker once Rey's bright lightsaber moved away. It appeared that the gaping hole above their heads was used as much for trash as anything else; Poe was sure he stepped in some things he'd rather not know what they were. He sifted through broken parts, jagged metal and sharp glass. Finn and Jannah had managed to find some cold weather gear, so he had gloves. But the leather was getting punctured in several places.

The screech of metal on metal was harsh in his ears as he shoved a broken condenser out of his way. And he froze. Poe blinked, a cold warning slithering down his spine. "Rey."

Her lightsaber appeared, twenty feet away. "Yeah. I sense it too. We're not alone."

Poe moved in her direction; he noticed she had a case in her free hand. "Did you get it?"

"There's another one; would you mind grabbing it?"

"Sure." He headed in the direction she pointed, snatching up the case. It was heavier than he expected. Once he had it, he returned to Rey until they were standing back to back, weapons raised.

"Well, well, well, looks like we've got ourselves some poachers, my friends." Rey's eyes shot up; an alien species she didn't recognize stared down at her. Dark skin that looked like leather, black eyes that shined like marbles with clawed hands, the alien appealed quite calm. As she scanned the perimeter, she noticed that they were surrounded. She felt Poe press against her back; she heard him slip the safety off his blaster.

"We're not the ones using children as guards," she spat.

"I wondered where those little moochers had gotten too."

"Kalwi, I presume?" Poe said, looking over Rey's shoulder.

"Those little bastards ratted me out, huh? I'll deal with them later."

Poe did a mental count; the odds weren't in their favor, but he'd been in rougher spots than this. And this time he had a Jedi fighting beside him. Though, Poe noted ruefully, this would have been the perfect time for them to be able to talk to each other in their minds. Oh well. He felt Rey's heel knock against his; he returned the gesture. He was ready for whatever she had planned.

"Kill them."

A cacophony of sound started all at once. Blasters fired at them from all directions; Rey's arm was a blur as she deflected shot after shot. Poe tucked and rolled behind a discarded hunk of metal. He got up on his knees and started firing, getting two in quick succession.

"Poe!" Rey tossed him her case; before he could shout, she leaped out of the compactor and executed a somersault, landing on her feet. Damn Jedi. He knew exactly what she was doing, and he didn't like it. Still, there was nothing he could do about it. Her stunt drew away the gang that surrounded them, giving him a chance to climb out the more conventional way. Blaster fire roared in his ears; he prayed silently that Rey's Jedi skills were up to the task. He shoved one case under his arm and grabbed the other. He had to holster his blaster so he could use his right hand to climb out. There was an emergency exit to his left; they'd passed it on their way in.

Rey deflected another bolt as she reached into the Force. She yanked hard, dragging one of her attackers down into the dirt, his weapon skidding away. She dashed after it, slicing it neatly in half. In the same movement, she switched hands, arching the blade behind her back to deflect yet another shot. They were trying to shoot her in the back! Rey skidded to a halt, turned and charged. One of the alien thugs came at her with makeshift staff—a long length of pipe really—Rey sliced through it easily.

"That's a lightsaber, you dolts!" Kalwi exclaimed. "Get it from her!"

She used the Force to keep track of her attackers, spinning her saber in figure eights around her. There were six of them now, all trying to advance on her. Where was Poe? She searched for him in the Force; he was nearby. Unhurt, so far. She sensed he wasn't happy with her, but it couldn't be helped. She was in a better position to take on a half dozen blasters. One of them needed to get the coaxium out of there.

Poe heaved himself out of the hole, breathing hard. A rogue blaster shot hit the ground near him; he rolled away, reaching for his blaster. He stayed low as he fired at some of the bastards coming at Rey; he picked off a couple more of them. The yellow saber whirled around her at an almost inhuman speed; it was awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time. He'd seen her train, but he'd rarely seen her fight. Certainly not like this.

One of Kawli's thugs dashed up one of the piles of junk; Poe whirled around and fired off a shot near the bastard's feet. He must have hit something explosive because the entire thing went up in flames, the explosion sending the alien high into the air. He was pretty sure they were dealing with some Delphidians, not a species he knew well.

"Poe!" Rey screamed.

He whirled around at the last second, dodging a blaster shot. He kicked his attacker's legs out from under him and shot him in the side. "Rey!" he yelled. "We need to get out of here!"

"On it!" She sprinted off toward the speeder they'd hidden before going down into the tunnels. More blaster fire; this time when she turned to deflect it, each of the shooters went down. When she looked, she saw Poe, calmly shooting from behind her. He sprinted in her direction, coat torn, hair in disarray and two cases of precious coaxium bouncing against his leg.

_Not the time to ogle your fiancé,_ she scolded herself as she switched off her saber. She clipped it hastily and yanked on the tarp. As she started the engine, she watched as Poe fought off the remaining thugs, shooting over his shoulder. The moment he leapt aboard, she gunned it.

"I'll cover you!" Poe shouted. "Just drive!"

"Cover us from what?" Rey shouted back. But she got her answer from the rifle shots that sparked near her feet. Poe knelt where the sparks had been a second before, getting off a half dozen shots with his own blaster. "Oh. That."

Poe huffed. "Yeah. That." He kept his blaster raised, scanning the junkyard for more threats. More thugs were arriving, drawn by the gunfire. Some tried to fire at them, but they were advancing too quickly. He laid down some covering fire, just in case. "Honestly, Sunshine, I don't know if I should kiss you or scold you!"

Rey laughed. "Maybe when we get out of this you can do both."

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Finn demanded when they finally reached the Falcon.

"Are the children safe?" Rey asked as she sprinted toward the cockpit.

"Yes, Leia's friend is taking them to the spaceport as we speak," Finn cried, nonplussed. He heard a lot of chatter over the scanners, now his friends come running onto the Falcon like Rathtars were chasing them! "What is going on?"

"We'll explain later!" Poe hollered, following Rey. "Chewie, make sure this coaxium is secure!"

Rey was already in the pilot's seat when he arrived; he slid easily into the co-pilot's seat. "Nice of you to join me," she quipped, flashing a grin.

"You and I are going to have a talk later," he replied, flipping switches, helping her get them airborne. The Falcon shuddered to life; both pilots shared matching excited grins. They may have just a had close call, been fired at and chased through the underworld of Coruscant, but there was nothing like flying. Well, almost nothing. Rey pulled hard on the yoke; the old freighter responded with a groan.

"Where to, sweetheart?"

"Caedia," she replied, looking at him like he was mad. "Where else?"

"I dunno. You've kinda commandeered the mission."

She shot him a look. "Just because I wanted to do the _right thing?_ That's what you're mad about?"

"There are multiple right things, Sunshine." He punched the coordinates for their first jump into the nav computer. "We can't do them all. And I'm not mad."

"You're doing a weird impression of it, General."

"Oh, we're back to General now, Master Jedi?" The Falcon climbed higher; the air thinned out until they were on the edge of open space.

"Would you stop calling me that?" she snapped. She spotted one of the planet's air patrols; she evened out their trajectory, hoping it would pass them by. They hadn't needed to blast their way out, so the odds were in their favor.

"Everyone else calls you Master Skywalker," he shot back. He liked that he was getting a rise out of her; her cheeks were a rosy pink. He wasn't kidding about them having a talk later. It just might involve far less clothes than they were wearing now. "Tough to know who's giving the orders around here, sweetheart."

She smirked at him. "Oh, I'd like to see you give me orders."

"That can be arranged."

Rey had to bite back a groan; she needed to focus. Which was difficult because he was sitting next to her, a bit roughed up and disheveled, his curls a mess, his dark eyes flashing in anger, frustration and _heat. _He looked like he wanted to devour her, and she wanted to let him.

But first, they needed to get the hell out of here.

"Coordinates locked in," he muttered. They reached for the hyperdrive controls at the same time; their fingers automatically locked together as they pulled the levers.

"Where are we jumping to first?" Rey asked, their hands still entwined.

"No idea," Poe said honestly. They were headed in the general direction of Caedia, but they'd need multiple jumps to get there. He couldn't stop staring at their hands; their skin was filthy, but she was warm and alive. He wanted to yell and scold her for being reckless; he wanted to praise her for being kind hearted and kriffing _brilliant_ with that lightsaber.

The rest of him just wanted to strip her naked and bury himself inside her heat until they passed out from pleasure. Mostly that last one. He didn't know if her emotions were feeding off his or vice versa or what the hell was happening, but he needed her. Right now.

They stared at each other for what felt like hours, both almost daring the other to make the first move. The moment was broken by a very irate Wookie and an annoyed best friend. "Could someone _please_ explain what happened down there?" Finn demanded from the hallway.

Poe brought Rey's knuckles to his lips. "That explanation takes more than ten minutes and I'm dragging you back to our quarters, Sunshine."

"Yes, sir." She was teasing, but not really. She felt like there were thousands of ants crawling under her skin; adrenaline still coursed through her. She could only think about one _very_ pleasant way to get it out of her system.

They both rose at almost the same moment; Poe let Rey out first. As soon as they were clear of the cockpit, Rey launched into her explanation, giving their friends an abbreviated version of everything that happened after Finn and Jannah left with the children. While she talked, Poe got a med kit and tended the cut on her upper arm. He just needed to be touching her. She flinched a little as he cleaned it with bacta, but she flashed him a smile as he gently pressed the edges of the batca patch to her skin. She didn't let him get away, twining their fingers as she talked. Poe turned her arm over, pressing circles into her inner wrist.

"But you lost them, right?" Finn said, worried.

"Yeah. We're fine, Finn," Rey assured him. "Honest."

"Rose will be happy about the coaxium."

"Hey, buddy, why don't you go tell her?" Poe said. "Rey and I should get cleaned up."

Finn shot them both a look. "Cleaned up. Right."

Rey's cheeks heated as she allowed Poe to tug her to her feet. She was still wired, images of them fighting their way out of yet another sticky situation flickering across her mind. Poe kept her hand firmly in his as they made the short walk to their quarters.

"We won't be seeing them for a while," Jannah muttered to Finn.

"Ugh, don't remind me."

Rey couldn't stop the giggle that tumbled from her lips; she was still laughing as her lover tugged her inside their quarters and kissed her soundly. Air left her lungs in a rush as Poe pressed her against the door, trapping her firmly. She held him close, her fingers clutching at his shirt, their tongues tangled together.

"What the _hell _were you thinking?" Poe growled as he lavished her throat with rough biting kisses.

Rey arched into him, already frustrated by the layers that separated them. "One of us had to handle the cases," she breathed, yanking on his shirt. She tugged it from his trousers, licking her lips as she pulled it over his head. His lips were hot on her skin before the fabric even hit the floor. Rey clung to his broad shoulders as he nipped and sucked on the spot just behind her ear; her knees threated to give out. "Gods, Poe."

He yanked hard on her belt, allowing it to drop to the floor. "Would have been nice to know the plan," he muttered, sliding his knee between her legs. A strangled noise caught in her throat as she tried to grind against him.

"No time," she breathed, as she dragged his mouth back to hers. They clashed in a heated frenzy of lips and tongues and teeth; Poe made a low needy sound as she nipped at his bottom lip. He tugged hard on her Jedi wraps; he was pretty sure he tore some of the fabric in his haste.

"That was reckless," he argued. He slid his hands under her thighs; she automatically locked her legs around his waist. "Dangerous." She gasped as he thrust his hips against her core. "Brave." Another thrust, another moan. "Incredible." This time she thrust back, just as needy as he was.

"Poe…need you."

"We both need a shower," he shot back, as wicked grin on his face. She let out a yelp as he carried her to the fresher, locking her legs tighter around his waist. He held her close with one hand and with the other pulled out the ties that once held her hair in place. Her buns were a wreck anyway. Her lips descended to his collarbone; she could taste the salty sweat on his skin. Before she could get any ideas, he deposited her on the tiny sink. Fortunately, it was bolted into the wall, so it held her weight. "Sit. Don't move."

"Or what?"

Poe growled, kissing her firmly. "Or I'm showering alone."

Rey bit her lip; she knew from his tone that it wasn't an idle threat. Her core ached with need; she needed him too badly to disobey. For now. "Yes, sir."

Poe grinned. "Good girl." He went over to the stall and turned on the water. Normally, they took short showers or just used the sonic, but they both needed a good scrub. Hopefully, their crew mates wouldn't mind.

Rey watched him work, subtly shifting her weight on the sink, trying to ease the ache she felt. She almost embarrassed herself as he bent over to remove his boots and socks; the material of his pants stretched tightly over his backside. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing because he was smirking when he turned to face her. "Would you like to do the honors, sweetheart?"

Rey's breathing hitched as he approached; the bulge in his pants was very obvious now. He drew her in for a kiss as she fumbled for his belt. He stood between her legs as she loosened his trousers; the weight of his blaster made the material fall to the metal floor with a loud clatter. Poe groaned as she took him into her hand, stroking his length firmly. "Kriff."

"What are you waiting for, flyboy?" she teased, twisting her wrist the way she knew he liked.

"You're very impatient for a Jedi," he complained as he started to pull her tunic over her head.

"Maybe I'm not a very good Jedi then." They clashed again with heated kisses as Poe tugged urgently on her remaining clothes. Her boots fell to the floor with a thud; her pants, underwear and breast band joined the heap of discarded and dirty clothes. They were finally skin to skin; Rey arched as his lips slid down her sternum. Any moment now he would give her what they both desperately needed.

Poe molded his hands to her body, smudging dirt and grease over her pale form. She was already wet and swollen, more than ready for him, but he held off. Instead, he dropped to his knees and parted her thighs. He kissed her swollen clit gently before licking a long stripe through her slit. Rey moaned loudly, bracing herself on the sink. "Poe, kriff!"

He chuckled. "I'd say you're a very bad Jedi," he murmured. "Already so wet for me." She bucked against him as he went back to tasting her. He drew nonsense with his tongue, reveling in her sweetness.

Rey's head hit the mirror with a dull thud as her lover devoured her. She groaned, but it didn't hurt. She writhed and squirmed as he tortured her, bringing her to the brink of orgasm then backing off. She pleaded, yanking roughly on his curls, but he paid her no mind. "Poe, kriff…" she whined. "I _need_…" Her words cut off with a sharp cry as he sucked her clit into his mouth. She orgasmed _hard_; her cry of pleasure echoed against the walls of the tiny room. She trembled in his arms, his clever tongue lapping at her, drawing out her high.

"Could watch you do that forever," he murmured as he kissed her belly. Poe stood, his lips still on her skin, leaving a trail of her own wetness in his wake. Rey shivered when his lips met hers; she could feel him, hard and heavy against her core.

"Please," she breathed between kisses. "Need you inside me. Please."

Poe groaned, his hips flexing against hers. "Look at us," he commanded softly. "Go on, sweetheart. See what you do to me."

Rey swallowed heavily as she glanced down. Part of her should have been embarrassed or shy or _something_ but she wasn't. Instead, she was fascinated. Her nails dug into the back of his neck as she watched his thick firm erection glide against her aching wet flesh. They were so close their breath mingled; their hearts pounded loudly. If she shifted her hips a tiny bit, he'd slip inside, fill her, ride her into sweet, sweet oblivion.

"You make me so crazy," he whispered in her ear. "Out there, in here. Never want to let you go."

She drew him in for a kiss. "So, don't," she whispered back. "Don't let me go, Poe. Not ever."

"Hmm, I think it's time for someone's shower." He lifted her off the sink and got them both into the narrow stall. The water was hot, not quite scalding, but hot enough to deepen the flush of their skin. Rey backed Poe up under the spray, kissing him feverishly as the water cascaded over them. "Easy, sweetheart. Not going anywhere."

Rey giggled; she was just so _happy. _Poe made her happy. While getting into sticky situations wasn't her favorite thing, she would be happy if they led to more moments like this. She licked water from his bronze skin as he fumbled for the soap. "Aren't we just going to get dirty again, General?" she asked, grinning.

"I certainly hope so, Master Jedi." It was his turn to press her against the tile, his slippery soapy hands sliding over her skin. Rey bit her lip as a groan caught in her throat; she had to grip the lone rail to stay upright as he washed her. Poe was meticulous, stroking every inch of her, soaking in the low needy sounds she made. She turned around so he could get her back; he kissed the length of her spine while grinding his erection into her ass. "Kriff, I need to feel you around me," he murmured. Rey had her hands braced on the tile; she was half bent over. If she spread her legs, he'd have the perfect view of her swollen sex.

"Do it," she breathed. "Need you, Poe. _Please."_

There was no sense in torturing them both. He leaned in beside her ear. "Spread your legs, sweetheart." Rey did as he asked, bending over a few more inches. She whined as she felt the swollen tip of his cock brush her folds, still teasing, then he was there, pressing inside, inch by inch.

"Oh _gods_," Rey gasped. Her fingers flexed against the wet tile; he felt so _good._ Her core clenched instinctively; Poe cursed. She was so warm and wet; she was perfect. He held her hips as he rocked into her slowly, keeping them both steady as water cascaded down his back. He leaned over her, taking her with short deep thrusts that had her whimpering in pleasure.

"Mine," he growled in her ear as their skin smacked together. "My Jedi."

She reached back, grabbing his hand. "Yours," she agreed, widening her stance as far as the stall wound allow. "Don't stop. Please don't stop, Poe. So good like this."

He brought their joined hands up against the tile, silently urging her to hang on. The emotions of the last few hours seemed to sweep over them at once, the fear, the danger, the exhilaration, the desire, the need. He rode her harder, faster, relishing every whimper and moan that tumbled from her lips. They were connected—not just physically, but through the Force. Everything they felt seemed to swirl together until neither knew where they ended and the other began.

Rey reached her peak first, stars popping behind her eyes as her whole body shuddered in ecstasy. She screamed something that sounded like his name, her fingers tightening on his with almost bruising force. Her clenching walls were too much for Poe; he thrust one last time, coming so hard that he thought he saw stars.

Rey felt him sag against her, shaking. His heart raced against her back, echoing hers. She drew their wet joined hands to her lips, brushing a kiss to his knuckles. That roused him enough to switch their positions, so he was leaning against the tile with Rey against his chest. "You okay?" she asked, still breathless herself.

Poe kept his eyes closed, determined to memorize how this felt. "I've never…felt anything like that," he said honestly. "What was that?"

"You felt it too?"

"Mmhmm. I _felt_ you, more strongly than ever."

"Yeah, me too."

Poe kissed the top of her head. "Pretty intense, huh?"

"This whole day has been intense."

"True."

The water was starting to get cold. Rey gestured for Poe to stay where he was while she got them cleaned up. It only took her about five minutes to get them clean; soap, dirt and grease washed down the drain. She took another five minutes to wash Poe's curls; he leaned back in the spray to rinse his hair while she washed hers. Once hers was clear of suds, he climbed out, offering her a towel before getting one for himself.

"Those are a lost cause, I think," Rey said, gesturing to their clothing.

Poe chuckled. "Probably. Who thought stealing from a junkyard was a good idea?"

"Some general," Rey teased.

"Sounds like a terrible general to me." Poe took her hand and led her to their bunk. He was exhausted; the ship would be fine for a while. Rey curled up beside him under the blanket, her head on his chest. "How's your arm?"

"It'll be fine," she promised. "Someone took very good care of me."

Poe lightly touched the bacta patch. "You scared me, Sunshine."

"I know." As long as they fought side by side, there would be more days like this. She couldn't stop being a Jedi any more than he could stop being the leader he was born to be. She believed that. They would fight until the battle was won. "We can't change who we are, Poe."

He squeezed her shoulder. "I know. I would never ask that of you, Rey. The whole time, I was worried about you, but you're…incredible. The galaxy needs you. I can't be that selfish, even though I want to."

She pressed a kiss to his chest. "I was worried about you too. All we can do is trust in the Force."

"My dad told me the same thing."

"Kes is a wise man."

"I wish I would have appreciated that when I was younger. I gave him a lot of grief that he didn't deserve."

They were quiet for a long time; Rey thought that Poe had fallen asleep. When he rolled on his side to face her, she could see he was wide awake. "Hey, you okay?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure. Today was a _lot."_

She ran her thumb over his cheekbone. "The Force can be a lot to handle all at once."

"Is it true you and Finn can talk to each other?" he blurted. "In the Force, I mean."

Rey blinked. "We're not sure how or why, but yeah. It takes a lot of concentration though."

"So, not right now?"

"Definitely not. Why?"

"Well, I was just thinking that it might have helped. Today. If we could, you know, do that."

"Poe…"

"I know, I know. You promised not to get in my head. And I trust you." He kissed her fingers. "But Rey, I felt something while we were in the shower. You felt it too. There's a connection, you know there is."

She wasn't sure she liked where this was going. "Not all connections in the Force are good, Poe. You know that." Her bond with Kylo Ren was nearly the undoing of everything they fought for. She lived in fear for months that he would somehow find their base by accident. He used it to manipulate and gaslight her. Palpatine used it to bring himself back to life.

"Does ours feel wrong to you? You're the Jedi."

He looked so earnest; she couldn't say no. Rey closed her eyes and reached out for him in the Force. As always, Poe's bright light warmed her. She felt joy, hope, trepidation and above all else, love. He was a little afraid of his apparent Force sensitivity, but not enough to reject it. Or to reject her. If anything, he loved her more. Tears slid down her cheeks, overwhelmed by his feelings for her.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, Sunshine," he murmured. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, I'm not upset." She kissed him. "I'm happy. All because of _you."_

He smiled. "Glad to hear it."

"There is something there," she confirmed. "Something…_more. _I can't describe it."

"I felt you. Not in a bad way. It was…nice." Rey tucked her head under his chin as he pulled her close. "Love you, Sunshine."

"I love you too, Poe." She wasn't sure what was happening, but she was sure they would get to the bottom of it. In the meantime, they had a job to do. Later. After a nap.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note:** We are now at the point where your friendly neighborhood fic writer is probably playing fast and loose with the Force. But it's my story and I do what I want. LOL And apologies for the cliffhanger. I promise the payoff will be worth it!

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Chapter 14**

Finn stared out at the blue streaks, thinking. He didn't share the pure love of flying that his two best friends did. Finn had been trained as a foot soldier; flying was transportation, a means to an end. When Poe offered to teach him how to fly, Finn decided it would be a good skill to have, just in case. He was still pretty bad at it (compared to the best pilots he knew, the aforementioned best friends), but he could at least keep them in the air if there was some sort of emergency. He wouldn't be doing any of the shady stuff Poe seemed to love any time soon, but that was probably for the best.

Finn was quite content with things as they were.

Well, almost content. He had to admit that some recent changes were easier to adapt to than others. Like Rey and Poe. Finn was happy for them. He really was. Force knew he'd been privy to far too much of their arguing and sniping over the last year; watching them fight the feelings they clearly had for each other was _exhausting._ These days, they were arguing less and when they did, it was in a teasing vein, which most would find cute. That, Finn could handle. He was less okay with some of the flagrant PDA he kept accidentally walking in on.

The Falcon wasn't that big! Couldn't they keep that kind of stuff to their quarters?

Jannah enjoyed teasing him about his squeamishness when it came to his friends. She was endlessly amused by it. Sure, it was easy for her; she'd just met them! But Poe and Rey were family, almost the siblings Finn never had (or if he had siblings somewhere out in the galaxy, he didn't remember them), so catching them together was slightly disturbing.

Which was why he sought refuge in the cockpit when the others were asleep or working on getting the Falcon ready for their arrival at Caedia.

"Can't sleep?"

Finn glanced sideways as Poe slid into the co-pilot's seat. "Someone should keep watch."

They were approaching enemy territory; Poe could see the wisdom in that. "Everything quiet?"

"Yeah. When's the next jump?"

Poe glanced at the nav controls. "Looks like another hour." He grinned at Finn. "Wanna try one yourself?"

Finn chuckled and shook his head. "Nah. I'll leave that to the professionals."

"Fair enough."

Finn studied his friend; he seemed more distant the further they got from Coruscant. They hadn't talked again about Poe's Force vision; Finn certainly didn't want to pry. Maybe Poe talked about it with Rey? That seemed likely. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" As far as Finn knew, Chewie was making the next jump.

"Would if I could, buddy," Poe muttered, sliding down in the seat. He was tired; lately, when he closed his eyes, nightmares plagued him. Ever since that vision on Coruscant, his subconscious couldn't seem to shake it. The only times he slept peacefully were the rare hours he got to share the bed with Rey. But between shifts in the cockpit and updating the Falcon's systems, they didn't have nearly as much time together as he wanted.

"Have you talked to Rey?"

"I would have to see Rey in order to do that." Poe looked out into hyperspace; usually, he found it soothing. Instead, resignation curled in his belly. "Not all of us have that Force talking thing down."

Finn turned to Poe. "What the hell, Poe?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to imply…I'm just tired, Finn. That's all." He just wanted to understand what was happening. Rey had said that not all Force connections were good, but somehow, he _knew _theirs was special. He loved Rey before any of this crazy Force stuff started happening; he certainly wasn't going to run now. She'd burrowed her way into his heart; they had the whole rest of their lives to figure out what it meant.

He just wished they could get away from all this and figure it out. Alone.

"Tired and cranky," Finn muttered.

Poe sighed. He needed to get it together. They would arrive at Caedia soon; he needed to focus on the mission. Finding Operation Python was important, not just for Rey's safety, but for the whole galaxy. It would be a huge step in rooting out the last vestiges of the First Order.

An unfamiliar beeping got their attention. Finn reached up, flicking the switch on the console. "It's a message from Connix, secret Resistance frequency."

Poe sat up, alert. "What's wrong?"

Finn read the message, a smile breaking out on his face. "It's your dad, Poe!"

"What?" That didn't make sense. Why would Kes be trying to contact him? Unless it _was_ an emergency. Suddenly, all sorts of terrible images flashed before his eyes. They'd sent the children to Yavin; what if they'd been followed? Was the base under attack?

"Oh! The kids are safe! Connix says that they arrived on Yavin a few hours ago. Karé saw them."

Poe sagged, relieved. "That's great news. Anything else?"

"No. You wanna read it?"

Poe stood over his friend's shoulder, scanning the message. He didn't think there would be some hidden message from his dad, but he wanted to see with his own eyes that Kes was safe. Everything seemed to be peaceful at the Dameron ranch. Kes didn't sound upset about having houseguests, which was good.

"Rey'll want to know," Finn said. "You should go."

"You're right. You'll be okay up here?"

"Sure. Chewie'll be here soon. Get out of here."

Poe squeezed his friend's shoulder, then he hurried from the cockpit. The last time he'd seen Rey, she was neck deep in the Falcon's innards, swapping out fuel lines. The ship had eight sections to the engines; they had to take them offline one at time in order to make the upgrades while they were still in hyperspace. That, of course, slowed them down, but it couldn't be helped. Since she hadn't come to bed, he could only assume she was still there, pushing herself too hard.

"Rey?" he called, stepping into engineering. "Sunshine? You in here?"

"Down here, Poe!"

She sounded as tired as he felt. Why didn't she come to bed? Poe stretched out on the metal grating and stuck his head in. "Whatcha doin'?"

She had grease smudges on her face and her hair was a mess, but she smiled when she saw Poe. "Trying to get this last electromagnetic coupling to seal," she replied, hoping she didn't sound as tired as she felt.

"Want some help?"

"It's a bit cramped down here for both of us, flyboy."

He smirked. "Like that's stopped us before."

She rolled her eyes. "Give me another minute?"

"Okay." He sat up, resting his back against the bulkhead and hugging his knees with his arms. They hadn't really talked about what to do after Caedia. Back to Naboo? Ajan Kloss? Rey would want to see the children, make sure they were alright. Kes would certainly be happy to see them. Of course, Poe's surprise was waiting for them too. He smiled to himself; he could see it in his mind, the pair of them standing under the Force tree, pledging their love before all their loved ones.

Poe wouldn't mind going home.

Rey tucked her tools back into the tray and heaved herself out of the compartment. She wiped her hands off with a rag, then she settled in beside Poe. "Everything okay?"

Poe wrapped his arm around her slender shoulders; Rey leaned into him. "Miss you, but other than that, yeah."

She squeezed his waist. "This work needs to be done."

"I know." Because she was working so hard on the Falcon, she left most of the flying to Poe and Chewie. "I have some good news."

"Yeah?"

"Kes says the children arrived safely on Yavin. Karé must have been visiting when they arrived. She forwarded a message to Connix."

Rey's smile was tired but pleased. "And Kes? He's okay?"

"As far as I can tell, yeah. We can try to holo him later, if you want."

"Maybe we should stop by Yavin."

"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing," he said, brushing a kiss to her hairline.

Rey sighed; for the first time in hours, she felt like she could relax. "Missed you."

"Don't fall asleep on me now, Sunshine. Or I'll have to carry you to bed."

"Hmm, sounds good to me."

Poe _knew_ she was exhausted; she usually playfully fought him when he made declarations like that. "You're working too hard, Sunshine," he whispered.

"You said it yourself," she countered. "We wasted time back on Coruscant. We need to make it up."

"Not like this." He released her long enough to get to his feet, then he held out his hand. She took it; once she was standing, he did exactly what he'd threatened, scooping her into his arms. She made only a weak whining sound of protest before relaxing in his arms. He hated how hard her life had been before, that she felt like she had to be strong every minute of every day. Of course, he loved her strength, but moments like this, she deserved to be looked after, protected, even from herself. Let the rest of the world see the fierce Jedi. He was the person who saw Rey.

They passed Chewie on their way to the captain's quarters; the Wookie nodded at Poe approvingly. Rey tucked her head into his shoulder; she noticed the mussed sheets. "You were sleeping," she accused softly.

"I was _trying _to sleep," he corrected. "Didn't get very far."

She frowned. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah." He didn't elaborate; he didn't have to. Rey kissed the hard edge of his jaw so tenderly, his heart clenched. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"You'll stay?"

"Chewie and Finn should be okay for a while. Of course, I'll stay." He set her gently on the edge of the bunk, then he went to the fresher to find the things he needed. Rey's eyes fell closed as he carefully cleaned the soot and grease from her face, neck and hands. At first, Poe thought she might be asleep, but then he realized she was meditating. He laid the dirty washcloth aside and kissed her forehead. "Let's get changed."

Rey opened her eyes reluctantly and accepted the shirt. It was another one of Poe's; ever since she'd moved into his quarters, they'd become her favorite sleep attire. He liked to tease her about it, mock complaining that the quartermaster would wonder where all his shirts were going. They changed wordlessly; their mutual tiredness making the silence heavy but not uncomfortable. Poe welcomed Rey into their bed with open arms; she didn't hesitate to snuggle into his chest. The tightness he'd felt the last few hours melted away, content to have her in his arms again.

"This is much better," he murmured.

"What if they need us?"

"Then they'll call." Poe fervently hoped they wouldn't be needed; Rey needed to rest. So did he. "Sleep, Sunshine. I've got you."

"And I've got you." She felt his uncertainty, his confusion about not only the Force, but his place in the galaxy. Poe put so much on himself; he felt like the weight of the galaxy was on his shoulders. But it wasn't. They could share that burden. As for what came after peace was won, they could figure that out when the time came. She just wanted to him to find peace.

* * *

Rey's eyes snapped open as her body lurched to one side. Just as she reached out with the Force to break her fall, a strong arm tightened around her middle, pulling her back. She relaxed, sinking into the mattress as Poe tugged her closer. She couldn't see the chrono from where they slept; she had no idea how long they'd been asleep. She felt much better, rested; she was glad Poe had come to find her. Rey was used to working until the job was done; an instinct born of long days on the Jakku sands, scavenging for scraps. If she didn't find something valuable in those broken ships, she didn't eat. It was that simple.

Old habits were hard to break.

Fortunately, some of her new habits were much more pleasant.

She drifted in an out for a while, listening to rumble of the Falcon's engines. Nothing sounded amiss, for which she was grateful. She felt badly enough about delaying the mission. Rey didn't regret helping the children; she couldn't regret that. She'd done the right thing. Poe warned her that she couldn't help everyone; maybe that was true. But she couldn't walk away from a situation that she _knew _she could change. What was the point of the power she'd been given if she didn't try?

If her decision enabled their quarry to flee? She didn't want to think about it, but it was a possibility. Operation Python had managed to remain clandestine for decades, if the maps on Coruscant were accurate. Perhaps it had made them complacent? The base could be cut off from communication; they might not even know the war was over.

Rey forced herself to stop. She couldn't think like this, her imagination spiraling out of control. What was done was done. She couldn't change the past. She could only move forward. Poe showed her that. They would move forward with this mission, then they would move forward _together._ As leaders of the Resistance, as a couple, as a family. They would rebuild the galaxy and settle down. Rey would train new Jedi, passing on only the best of their legacy while learning from the mistakes of the past. Poe claimed he didn't know what he wanted to do after the peace, but Rey wasn't so sure. He scoffed at the idea of being a politician or anything of the sort, but Rey thought he'd be good at it. He certainly had a talent for winning people's loyalty. He was a leader; he couldn't help it. It was one of the things she loved about him.

Poe shifted behind her; his nose was buried in her hair. She could feel his warm breath tickle her neck. She wiggled against him, tugging his hand under her borrowed shirt so it rested against her bare stomach. She heard him hum sleepily, his fingers flexing against her skin. Rey shivered and sighed, letting his solid presence coax her back into sleep.

Something cool jolted him awake. Poe blinked, disoriented, until he realized it was Rey's foot tucked between his legs. Sometimes when she slept, one foot would slide out from under the blankets and hang off the bunk. It was a bit narrow for two people, but neither wanted to sleep anywhere else. Eventually, she would move again, tucking the chilled foot between his calves. He smiled into her hair; it was such a tiny thing, but it warmed his heart. Rey moved again, wiggling; Poe realized belatedly that her ass was nestled against his crotch. He groaned, his body suddenly aware of hers in an entirely different way. He started to move away lest he wake her, only to be brought up short by the shirt she'd borrowed. When had he slid his hand under it? Her hand moved to cover his through the fabric; he blew out a long breath through his nose. "Damn it, Sunshine," he muttered.

"Morning to you too," she yawned, shifting against him. This time with purpose.

"Actually, I'm not sure what time it is," he mumbled. He wiggled his fingers; the tips brushed against the underside of her breast. "You should be sleeping."

Rey inhaled sharply, a shiver running through her. "I did. All rested now." She wet her lips, arching into his touch. "You don't feel sorry that I'm awake."

"That's cheating," he growled, his shirt bunching tightly at his wrist as he reached higher. Rey bit her lip as he cupped her breast, her ass rocking into his slowly hardening crotch.

"Don't care," she whispered, turning her head so she could kiss him. Poe groaned into her kiss, giving into his need for her. He rolled slightly until his back hit the other side of the bunk; his hand slid down her belly. Rey hummed in encouragement, thrusting her hips up as his fingers dipped into her underwear. "Hmm, yes, right there."

Poe grinned, his finger slowly circling her nub. He was a little surprised at how wet she was already. "If I didn't know better, sweetheart," he murmured, "I'd say you were dreaming about me."

She whined, the tension building in her core. "Who says…it was…you, flyboy?"

Poe took his hand way, causing her to cry out. "That's not funny, Sunshine."

Rey rolled toward him, kissing him deeply. She hadn't meant it; Poe was the only man she'd ever loved like this. He was the only man she _wanted_ like this. "I only want you," she promised. "It's only ever been you."

Poe wrapped his arms around her and hauled her atop him. "I know." He groaned loudly as she straddled him; clothing still separated them, but he could still feel her heat. "Gods, I _know."_

Rey bent over him, kissing him languidly. His stubble had grown out some while they slept; it was deliciously rough against her skin. Poe ran his hands up her back, taking his shirt with them. Rey laughed as he pulled it over her head and tossed it to the floor. "I thought you liked that shirt."

"I like this better." He ducked his head, taking one of her nipples between his lips. Rey gasped, bracing her hands on either side of his head. He held her steady, just like he would his X-wing, while he toyed with her, alternating sides, licking and sucking and biting until she was trembling. Rey arched, her fingers flexing in the pillow under his head, the pressure mounting in her core.

"Poe," she whined, frustrated. "Please!"

"I want you to touch," he said, his thumbs stroking her sides. "Go on. Let me see you."

Rey bit her lip, keeping her eyes on his dark ones as she reached between her legs. Poe yanked her thin underwear down her hips just enough that he could watch as she circled her sensitive nub. She let out a little gasp of pleasure, her hips instinctively rolling into her touch. She preferred it when Poe touched her like this, but she couldn't deny him. Not when he looked at her like _that_, like she was the center of his universe. His thumbs stroked her hips as she touched herself; his breathing was shallow. She couldn't stop watching him as he watched _her_, his fingers tightening against the soft flesh of her ass as she pushed herself higher.

"That's my girl," he praised, watching her give into her need. "Don't stop."

Rey mewled, her eyes falling closed as she focused on the pressure in her core. The fabric of her underwear stretched, stitches snapping, as she pushed her hand deeper, pressing two fingers into her heat. She rode them awkwardly, seeking her elusive high. Poe latched on to one of her nipples with his lips, sucking hard; his hands guided her hips, coaxing her to move faster, harder. That first climax hit her in a rush, intense but far too short for her liking. She tried to draw it out, needy sounds tumbling from her lips.

"Gods, I love watching you fall apart," Poe growled. He reached for her hand, bringing her fingers to his lips. Rey whimpered as he sucked her juices off her skin; a fresh wave of need seized her. Poe fused his mouth to hers as he deftly flipped them over; the blanket rolled off the bunk, forgotten. Rey dragged her hands down his bare chest; she needed him _closer._ "I'm right here, sweetheart. Right here."

"Need…you," she panted, shoving at his pants.

Poe chuckled. "So impatient, my lovely Jedi." Still, he did as she asked, shucking his pants and kicking them to the floor. He sat up at the end of the bunk, curling his fingers into the waistband of her underwear and tugging the fabric down her long legs. He caught her staring, her eyes hovering at his crotch. He'd caught her ogling him before, but he rarely called her out on it. Now, he took himself in hand, groaning as he stroked his erection. Rey bit her lip as she watched; her pupils dilated even further, until the hazel was almost swallowed by black.

He'd never so blatantly touched himself in front of her before. Rey pushed herself up until she was kneeling, their knees touching. Their eyes met; the love and desire she saw in his reflected her own. Their lips clashed in a fiery kiss, tongues tangled together, breath mingled. She reached down, covering his hand with hers. Heat flooded her core as she stroked the rigid warmth of his cock; she needed him inside her.

"Get up here," he growled. Rey climbed into his lap, still kissing him. The kiss was broken by their loud moans of pleasure as she took him in one stroke, his thickness stretching her deliciously. Rey leaned her forehead against his, soaking in the feeling of being full.

"Kriff, Sunshine," Poe groaned, cupping her ass.

"I know." She threaded her fingers into his thatch of curls, tilting his head so she could capture his lips. Kissing him was better than any drug, his lips soft and full and perfect. He rained kisses down the column of her throat as she ground against him, keeping him locked inside her tight walls. "Love you. Love you so much."

Poe thrust his hips up, meeting her as she rode him. "Gods, you feel good, _mi amor_." There was a part of him that still didn't quite believe that this was his life, that he got to love this amazing woman. And that she loved him, just as fiercely as he did her. They had the rest of their lives together. His mother's ring hung between her breasts, bouncing with each thrust of his hips. One day soon it would be on her finger where it belonged.

Rey clung to him, hovering on the edge of bliss, stealing kisses from his lips. She wished they could stay locked like this forever, where no one could break their happiness. Yet, her treacherous body demanded release. "Poe," she breathed. "I…kriff…need…"

"I know." He held her against him as he switched again, laying her out on the mattress. She whined when he slipped from her, but in the next breath he was back; she gasped in pleasure. Rey held him close as he moved, taking her with hard firm strokes. Thankfully, the door was firmly closed, or the whole ship would have heard exactly what he was doing to her. Another wave of pleasure began to crest low in her belly; Rey hooked her legs tightly at the base of Poe's spine.

Poe grunted; she was stronger than he anticipated. He unhooked her legs, throwing one over each of his shoulders. Rey cried out as he sank even deeper inside her, his gorgeous body straining with the effort to ride her into the mattress. Rey tugged his lips to hers as she climaxed at last; the kiss swallowed her scream. Poe grunted; the feel of her clenching walls was too much. He thrust once, twice, three times before he gave in, trembling with pleasure as his cock pulsed and throbbed inside her. Rey stroked his shoulders and back lovingly as he came down from his high, his forehead pressed to her chest.

"Stay with me," she murmured, kissing his sweaty brow.

"I'll do my best," he replied with a breathless chuckle.

"I know." His arms shook with the effort of holding himself up; Poe rolled off her in the narrow bunk. Rey brought his hand to her lips, kissing the back tenderly. "You okay?"

"How does that get _better_?" he asked, still reeling. His arms came around her automatically as she tucked herself into his side.

"Really?"

"You don't think so?"

"No, I do, I just…" She glanced away from his eyes. "You're the only person I've been with." Rey knew that he loved her—she _felt_ his love for her—but that didn't change their pasts. There would probably always be people who looked at them together and wonder why someone like Poe would want the wild girl from Jakku.

Poe gently touched her chin, coaxing her to look at him. "Hey, none of that now, Sunshine."

"You don't know what I was thinking."

"Don't I?" He leaned up and kissed her. "Because that doubt swirling in that pretty head of yours is one I've felt too. One day you'll wake up, realize you can do better than me, and move on." Rey opened her mouth to protest, but Poe pressed a finger to her lips. "Feelings like that aren't logical, Rey, and I know it's not true." He reached down and lifted her ring. "I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if I honestly doubted for a _second_ that you didn't love me the way that I love you."

"I do," she said, emotion welling in her throat. "I want to marry you, Poe. I want to build a life with you. I never thought I'd get to have something like this. I always lose people I love."

"I know." He looped Shara's ring over the tip of her ring finger; the chain wouldn't allow it to slide down all the way, but that wasn't the point. "There are no guarantees, Rey. But I _promise_ I will do my very best to stay right here. You said you wanted to see me turn gray, Sunshine. I would love nothing better than to grow old with you."

Rey ran her fingers through his dark curls; they already carried a few gray strands. It only made him more handsome, more distinguished. Yes, she very much wanted to grow old beside him. She wanted a life filled with love and home and family and adventure. Because she was certain that—not matter what the future held—loving Poe Dameron was an adventure.

* * *

"Blue Leader to Millennium Falcon."

Poe flipped the comm. "Falcon here. It's good to hear your voice, Jess."

"You too," Jess replied. As a former member of Black Squadron, she'd more than earned her own command. Poe was proud of her. He wished more of their squadron mates were there to see it. He missed Snap. "What have we got here, General?"

Poe groaned. "Don't you start," he groused. "Only politicians and junior officers call me General, Jess."

Rey smiled to herself, because that was a lie. An innocent one, but still. She called him General all the time. Usually when they were alone, and she wanted to get a rise out of him. To her delight, it always worked. "You hear that, Blue Squadron?" Jess's voice crackled over the comm. "Special permission from the head guy in charge!"

Poe leaned back in the co-pilot's seat, scrubbing his hand over his face. Just when he thought he was getting used to the general gig, he had one of his oldest friends there to bring him back to sanity.

"Is he pouting, Rey?"

Rey opened her comm, laughing. "You know it, Jess."

"I hate both of you," Poe complained.

"Is that any way to speak to your fiancé?" Rey asked, her face a picture of innocence.

"Wait! _Fianc__é__?"_ Jess squeaked. "What the hell, Poe? When were you going to enlighten the rest of us? I thought we were your friends!"

Poe pinched the bridge of his nose. Honestly, he hadn't thought it necessary to inform _everyone _about his personal life. Though, if his plan when they got to Yavin went off without a hitch, he'd have _more _explaining to do, not less. "Things have been kinda hectic lately, Jess," he said patiently. "What with the First Order assassins and all."

Jess's tone turned serious. "Yeah, we got the briefing before we left. You alright, Rey?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jess. Thanks for asking." Rey knew Jess a little better than some of the other former members of Black Squadron, given the latter's title as the Great Destroyer among the astromech droids. Jessika's track record with droids had improved somewhat since Rey joined the Resistance; they sometimes worked together on Jess's starfighter. Rey liked the older woman. She was around Poe's age; like Poe, she'd grown up with stories about Luke Skywalker. Once Jess found out Rey had met the legendary Jedi, that cemented their friendship.

"Can we focus, please?"

Rey shot Poe a look. _You're one to talk, _she thought. "Caedia isn't on your maps," she informed their friend. "It was removed from the maps, prior to the Empire."

"And you think it's the headquarters of these assassins?"

"It's the best lead we've got," Poe said grimly. "We're not sure what we'll find down there, Jess. I want you and Blue Squadron to remain nearby while we take the Falcon down to check it out. We'll send out a distress call if we need back up."

"Poe, I'm not normally the second guess type…"

"No, that's usually Suralinda. Say it, Captain."

"If this is a base, it'll take more than a five man crew to infiltrate it. Let me send a couple of X-wings down there. Or let us orbit the planet."

"Negative, Blue Leader. The Falcon's a freighter. If there is anyone down there, they'll think we just got lost. Starfighters are a dead giveaway. I need you to stay here, unless things get hairy. Someone needs to keep an eye out in case they try to evacuate." _If they haven't already,_ he thought. He didn't want to say it, because he knew Rey already felt guilty for costing them precious time. Still, he was happy they'd helped those children. It felt good to be _doing_ something to make the galaxy a better place. It was better than sitting around a table, just talking about it.

"Everything's secured," Finn said, poking his head into the cockpit.

"Thanks, buddy."

"Jess, if you haven't heard from us by 2300, you have my permission to land. Does that make you feel better?"

"Much," Jess replied. "Be careful, Poe."

"We will." Poe switched off the comm and turned to Rey. "Ready, Sunshine?"

"Let's do this." The charade about the Falcon being a lost freighter might not get them very far; to augment it, she powered down sections of the Falcon's engines. Now, it would look like they were limping through space. Poe switched on the scanners as they approached the planet.

"There is something down there," he said quietly. He didn't know why he was whispering; it wasn't like the First Order could hear them. "I'm picking up technology, very faint, but it's there."

"Where?"

"Far side of the planet. I'm sending you the coordinates." He opened his comm. "Finn, Jannah, stay sharp down there, okay?"

"Roger that, Poe."

Caedia shined like a luminous light blue ball, getting larger and larger in the window. Rey and Poe shared a look; it would have been pretty if they didn't suspect that any life down there wanted to kill them. The climate was so harsh that any base—if there was one—would need to be buried underground. This meant that it was highly unlikely they'd be able to get a read on any lifeforms. They would simply have to land and hope for the best.

The Falcon was buffeted hard by the winds the moment they entered the atmosphere. Rey tightened her grip on the yoke; beside her, Poe took the co-pilot's stick. It shook in his hands. The nav computer locked onto the coordinates Poe found, but they couldn't risk the autopilot in this weather. The pair moved in sync, easing the old ship through the upper atmosphere, then layers of clouds until they broke through into glaring sunshine. Rey flashed him a grin; he grinned back.

"It's so…"

"White?"

"I was gonna say stark, but white works too." Poe had been to a lot of places, but he'd never seen anything like this. Pure white, almost as far as the eye could see. Snowdrifts mottled with gray, sharp crags of ice. Or were they mountains? It was impossible to tell. Even a place like Ilum had trees, other vegetation. This planet had nothing. How did anything live here?

"I think that's it," Rey said, easing the ship starboard.

"What's it? I don't see anything."

"I don't see it either. I sense it though."

Poe peered out into the bright void; it was so white that it hurt his eyes. This would be a great time for his supposed Force abilities to show themselves. But he didn't feel anything, aside from Rey. She was focused, calm, cautious. He glanced her way; she was flying with her eyes closed! "Rey…"

"It's okay, Poe. I promise."

Poe released his side of the yoke; the ship remained steady. He watched as Rey guided the ship through the featureless terrain, allowing the Force to guide her rather than the computer. It was one of the most impressive things he'd ever seen. It also reminded him that she was way out of his league.

Thank the Maker she was already in love with him.

Once she was sure they were as close as was prudent, she gently set the Falcon down. When she opened her eyes, Poe was staring at her. "Rey, that was…"

"Insane?"

"Incredible," he corrected.

Rey beamed. At first, she'd been skeptical, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it was the right course of action. Master Luke had told her to trust herself. "Maybe I'll let you fly us out of here, General."

Poe leaned across, meeting her lips in a gentle kiss. "We'll see about that."

They met Finn, Jannah, Chewie and BB-8 near the gangway. Finn and Jannah were wrapped up warmly in layers; Poe and Rey hurried to copy them. Before Rey opened the door, Poe kneeled down in front of his droid. "The weather's rough out there, buddy. Sure you're up to this?" BB-8's beeps and whines almost sounded affronted. "Just checking. Don't know what we'd do if we lost you." He gave the round droid a fond pat; Rey smiled down at the pair of them.

"Stay together," Poe warned. "No wandering off by yourself. You too, Master Jedi." He fixed Rey with a stare; half her face was obscured by a scarf, but she nodded. With no landmarks it would be very easy to get lost. They could get caught in a storm or buried in a snowdrift and no one would know. It wasn't worth the risk.

With that, Rey lowered the gangway and led the motley crew out on to the planet.

They walked in single file: Rey, Poe, BB-8, Jannah, Finn and Chewie. Chewie had his bowcaster drawn, scanning the horizon for threats. Jannah's bow hung loosely in her gloved hand, just in case. Rey's lightsaber rested in one of the oversized pockets of her parka, ready to be drawn. The boys' blasters were all but useless in the cold; Poe had the safety off his anyway.

Wind and flecks of snow buffeted any exposed skin; Chewie was soon covered in a fine sheen of the white powder. BB-8 had a neat pile forming on top of its optical socket, but so far, it had suffered no ill effects. Poe kept checking on it, just to be safe. The orange stood out starkly against the white, even more than usual.

Rey could sense the wariness and declining patience of her friends. It was _freezing_; if they didn't find something soon, they'd have to go back to the Falcon empty handed. She held her hand out, trying to push out the wind and cold and stiffness. She reached for the Force; it rose to her command. She felt cold, but it wasn't the wind. It was a different kind of cold; she sensed darkness. Behind her, she heard BB-8 raise his antenna, searching for a signal.

"You picking up something, buddy?" Poe asked, turning to watch the little droid. BB-8 beeped in the affirmative, rolling toward Rey and then past her. The quintet hurried to follow; they had to jog to keep up! "Beebee, slow down! Fragile beings back here!"

Rey smiled to herself as the droid skidded to a stop. It had to roll back several inches; the smooth snow caused the round droid to skid too far. By the time they caught up, BB-8 already had his laser out, carving out a circle in the snow. Rey knelt down. "Here, let me help." She reached out with gloved hands and helped her friend clear away the heavy snow.

"Well, I'll be damned," Poe breathed, eyes wide. BB-8 located a computer socket! The droid quickly plugged in and started scanning the system. After about a minute, the ground rumbled beneath their feet. The humans and Wookie jumped back, narrowly avoiding the avalanche of snow as heavy durasteel doors creaked open. "Everyone okay?"

"Why'd it have to be underground?" Finn complained.

"At least we're not getting shot at yet."

Finn peered over the edge. The doors opened into a black abyss. "How far down is it?"

"I'll go."

Everyone's eyes shot to Rey; Poe frowned. "No going off by yourself, remember?"

"That was before. I'm the only one who has a chance of jumping down there and landing safely. You know that." She'd made jumps like this before; she was sure she could do it.

Poe grimaced, though she couldn't see it because of his scarf. She was a Jedi; of course, she was right. "Fine," he conceded. "You go, report back, then we'll find a way for all of us. Don't go wandering off on your own. Please?"

Rey nodded her assent. She wasn't sure how far it was, but if she lost control, she could use the Force to break her fall. She stepped up to the edge and jumped. Air whipped past her; as she fell lights around her started to flicker. Motion sensored? She did a flip in mid air to slow her down a bit and reached for her weapon. The lightsaber burst forth as the ground approached. Rey bent her knees to brace for the impact. She landed hard, but she kept her feet.

She landed in a hangar of some kind. There were only a handful of ships, all damaged in some way. Before she could get a good look, a red bolt blasted the durasteel near her feet. Rey whirled around, saber raised. _Must be self-defense measures of some kind_, she thought as she deflected a handful of shots. She heard her friends topside shouting, but she couldn't waste the breath to reply. With one hand, she deflected the bolts, with the other, she drew her blaster and silenced the mounted rifles one by one. Once silence fell, she let herself breathe.

"Rey? Sunshine? You alright?"

"I'm fine!" She looked around; a control panel sat to her right. She dashed over to it; perhaps it had the controls to the launchpad she'd landed on. She flipped on her comm; it was too far to shout. "Hang on, I think I found the controls to this thing. Hang back and let me see if I can raise the platform." It took a couple of tries, but she found the right sequence. There were several loud cracks and the hiss of hydraulics as the landing platform rose. There would be a gap of about a foot once it got topside. She watched as the shadows of her friends leaped aboard; Chewie had to lift BB-8 over the short distance. Rey reversed the system, slowing bringing them down. The moment the platform returned, the hangar doors started to close. The lights flickered on, much to everyone's relief.

Poe hurried to Rey. "What was that?"

"I think it was some sort of self-defense," she replied, hugging him. "I'm okay though."

"Good." Poe lowered his hood and scarf; it was cold still, but at least the wind was gone. "It looks abandoned."

Now that they were inside, Rey reached out with the Force. Part of her didn't want to admit that Poe was right. They'd missed their chance. Somehow, Operation Python figured out that Armas had been compromised and fled before they could be discovered. She hoped to sense someone—anyone—but the only beings she sensed were her friends. If they'd done as Poe wanted and just come here, then things might have been different.

Poe felt her unease. "Hey, don't beat yourself up," he said gently. "None of this is your fault."

"But Poe…"

"No, we made the right call. What if we'd gotten here then been stranded? As much as you love her, the Falcon's an old ship, sweetheart. Thanks to those parts we'll be able to get off this rock."

"But you _warned _me," she countered. "We wasted time."

"I'm not sure even those few hours would have made a difference. We just don't know. But we're here now, so let's see if our quarry left us any clues, yeah?"

Rey nodded. She knew he was right, but she still felt defeated. She'd been so sure the cautious approach was best. It only led to more problems. How could she trust her instincts when they only seemed to lead her in the wrong direction?

BB-8 pulled up a schematic of the base; it had three levels, the largest being the hangar. "We'll need to split up," Poe said reluctantly. He didn't like it, but they would cover more ground that way. He didn't want to be here any longer than was necessary. Something about this place made him feel like they were being watched. "Beebee, you stay here and see if you can find any useful information on the system. They might have wiped it before they left, but it's worth a shot." He turned to Finn and Jannah. "These look like barracks." He pointed to the screen. "And there's a hatch that leads this way. Think you two can crack it?"

"On it, Poe."

"Good luck." Poe watched as they left; he was happy for his friend. Finn finally had someone in his life that he could relate to. Poe turned to Chewie. "You and I are taking the hangar and the rest of this floor, Chewie. But let's be careful; there might be other traps."

"What about me?"

Poe pointed at the smallest section of the base. "The biggest secrets are always kept in the most remote part of the base," he said. "Just do me a favor and call for back up if you need it, okay? You don't have to save the entire galaxy by yourself."

"You too, General," she replied softly. She squeezed his gloved hand before she set off. BB-8 managed to turn the power on to the lifts; Rey shook snow off her parka and scarf as she descended into the bowels of the base. She could sense the darkness that lingered here; it went beyond the base's grim purpose. She could feel an echo of the people who'd passed through over the decades; over all of it loomed a shadow. The Dark Side. Rey clenched her hand, swallowing heavily. Was that why this planet was chosen? Was the Dark Side strong here?

What did that mean for her?

The lift doors hissed open; Rey lit her saber before stepping out. She looked around warily; it was a hallway lined with doors. Some were ajar; when she peered inside, they looked like standard officer quarters. A twin bed, a desk and a chair were all that remained. She used her saber to open the doors that were locked; in the sixth room, she found an abandoned datapad.

Excited, she powered it up. It was a newer model than she was used to, but she figured it out quickly enough. She entered a few commands, hoping to unlock it. It was password protected. _"Kriffing hell,"_ she muttered under her breath. "Come on!"

It was probably wiped clean of whatever data it held. She was probably wasting her time. She considered tossing it aside, but something stopped her. She looked around the room, taking stock. This one was in disarray. The closet door had been blasted open; there were several crumbling scrolls that hung on the walls. When she peered into the closet, she found a safe that had carried the same scorch marks as the door. Something valuable had been kept in there. Rey closed her eyes, holding her hand over the broken lid. An image flooded her mind, a confrontation, a fight. A large looming figure blasted open the door, then the safe and extracted something. It was small. A slender hand unfolded, revealing a kyber crystal. A _red_ kyber crystal.

Rey jumped back as if something had struck her. She gasped for air; the pure _malice_ she'd felt from that one crystal was overwhelming. Red kyber crystals did not occur in nature as the others did. Some of the Jedi lore said that kyber crystals carried sentience, almost like they were alive. Rey hadn't believed it until she'd gone in search of her own. The yellow crystal didn't _speak_, of course, but she'd _known _it was hers. She carried a small sliver of it in her belt still. For what purpose, she didn't know. But it was comforting to know it was there.

Red kyber crystals were tortured, broken. Something that could only be accomplished by a Sith Lord.

Still shaking, Rey stood and examined the scrolls again. She recognized the gliphs this time. They were Sith. What was going on here? Rey turned again to the datapad; there was one last trick she could try. She'd used it to break open her old datapad back on Jakku. If she tried, she risked losing all the data stored on the device. It was a risk she had to take. Her fingers flew over the pad; when she got to the password screen, she made a hard restart. Rey held her breath as the pad rebooted. There! The main screen!

She wished BB-8 was here. It would be easy for him to copy the data (if there was any left) and let her keep moving. Instead, she leaned against the desk and started choosing items at random. She found a file filled with pictures; bile rose in her throat. _It was a kill list._ She didn't recognize anyone, but each had a birth date and a death date. Judging from the attire of the victims, they were from the Civil War era. She flipped to another one and nearly dropped the pad. Her own face glowed up at her. The black chair shined behind her; she was unconscious. _They'd taken this when Kylo Ren tried to break into her mind._

Rey's fingers trembled; she breathed deeply to center herself. She'd always known the First Order was evil; this was proof that they actively sought to destroy her. Rey forced herself to flip through the rest of the photos. Leia, Finn, Poe, other prominent figures she didn't recognize. She looked back at the title of the folder; it said _Possible Targets_. Why only possible? Did the Supreme Leader know about this list? Did he decide who lived and who died? Leia was on this list; as awful as Kylo Ren was, she couldn't believe that Ben Solo would destroy his own mother.

Right?

The truth was, she simply didn't know. She'd tried once to discern what was in Ben Solo's heart; it blew up in her face and nearly got her friends killed. It had nearly gotten her killed. She couldn't save him. Luke couldn't save him. Han couldn't save him. Leia did. Leia gave up her life to save her son's soul.

She had to get this to the others. If this was a possible kill list, then everyone on it needed to be warned. Rey shut down the pad and tucked it into her pack. She prayed the others found some intel that would tell them where Operation Python disappeared to.

Rey turned to leave, but there was one door she hadn't examined yet. This one lay at the very end of the hall, secured with a numeric keypad. Rey reached out with the Force; a wave of darkness washed over her. It felt like the artifacts that she and Poe found at her grandfather's old homestead. Could there be more Sith artifacts? More sacred texts? She rested her fingers on the keypad, willing the Force to show her the way. One by one the sequence rose before her eyes; she punched it in automatically.

The door rose; Rey ignited her saber. She entered the room slowly, wary for more booby traps.

Her breath caught.

It was a shrine. A Sith shrine.

As she got a closer look, she realized this wasn't a simple shrine. This was a temple. Like the Jedi, the beliefs of the Sith were considered a religion. The room was hewn right from the rock; the walls were rough, like they had been carved a year ago and not millennia. But Rey knew better. She could sense it. Generation after generation of masters and apprentices had come here. This place had been tended. Recently. Her mind reeled. A Sith temple? Here? It didn't make sense. Before she could investigate further, a series of loud clicks echoed in the cavernous room. Something started to hiss.

_Run. Now. _Luke's voice. Without a second thought, Rey sprinted from the temple. She called on the Force to aid her, force her muscles to go faster, harder, beyond her limits. Heat struck her back, almost knocking her down. She wouldn't make it to the lift. Even if she did, the fire would get her. At the last second, she dove into one of the open offices, using the Force to get the door closed, sealing her off from the flames. Rey fell against the floor, heart hammering, exhaustion making her sluggish.

Poe. _Please be alright, _she prayed. Her exhaustion prevented her from feeling him or sending him a warning, however late it might have been. The metal around her started to buckle and crack from the intense heat; one of the struts gave way. Rey rolled, but she was too slow. Poe's face was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

* * *

Poe kept his blaster raised as he scanned yet another room. As he suspected, the base had been cleared out. However, judging from the state of the common areas, it might have been days ago, not hours. Did they have trackers on their assassins? Could they have known Armas was compromised from the moment they captured him? Was that why he was so desperate to flee? He'd seen enough of the First Order to know that they had no patience for incompetence or mistakes. Hugs was proof of that.

Fortunately for Poe, Leia was more forgiving.

He missed her. He'd never be Leia, he realized that. She'd been groomed for leadership and diplomacy from the time she was young. Poe was a pilot. A damn good one. Better than good, if Rey was right about him tapping into the Force sometimes. He had trouble with the big picture. He was a "focus on the problem in front of you" kind of person. That was good for leading a fighter squadron, not so good for leading an army and dealing with politicians.

Still, he hadn't completely karked it up yet, so there was hope. Rey believed in him. So did Finn. He just had to believe in himself.

He heard Chewie roar from far away. "Nothing here either, Chewie," Poe called. "I think it's time to call everyone back." He had a bad feeling. He just wanted to get off this rock.

Poe and Chewie returned to the hangar. "Finn? Jannah?"

"We're here, Poe."

"Looks like a dud. You find anything?"

"Whoever was here sure left in a hurry."

"About the same up here. We might be able to get some parts off these derelicts though."

"We're on our way back. Meet you in the hangar."

Poe sat heavily a chair next to BB-8. The droid was still scanning the base for information; that would probably be more useful than anything else they found. He did wonder though. He switched on his comm. "Jess? You out there?"

"Right where you left us, General."

"Looks like your services won't be needed, I'm afraid."

"You're no fun."

"Jess, there is something else you can do though. Can you patch your comm through to Naboo?"

"Um, yeah."

Poe hung on the line until Jess got through to Naboo command. "What can we do for you, General Dameron?"

He had to admit it was nice having the friendship with the Queen of Naboo. It made things like this easier. "What's the status on Armas?"

"On whom, sir?"

"Armas? You know, the man who tried to assassinate the last Jedi a few days ago?"

There were a few beeps and another voice came on the line. "I'm sorry, General Dameron, let me move this to a secure channel." Some static, then the line cleared. "You may speak freely now, sir."

Poe ground his teeth. "Is there someone there who can give me a status on the prisoner?"

The voice hesitated. "Ah, sir, you see, we've been trying to contact you for some time."

Poe sat up, alert. "What happened?"

"Armas is, ah, dead, sir."

"When?"

"Shortly after you left the planet. It appears to be a suicide, but the Queen has ordered a full investigation."

_Good,_ Poe thought. At least someone was wise enough to suspicious. They'd shut down comms to all but the most secret Resistance frequencies, because their mission was so clandestine. That was why Kes had to get a message to them through Karé and Connix. "Keep me apprised. If you can't reach me, contact Commander Connix. She'll know how to reach me."

Finn and Jannah appeared just as Poe shut down his comm. "What's wrong?"

There was no point in sugarcoating it. "Armas is dead."

Finn's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"I just spoke with Naboo command. They confirmed it. I started to wonder after I saw the state of this place. It was empty long before we got here."

Finn frowned. "Hey, I'm sorry. You wanted to come here right away. We should have done that."

"One lone ship?" Poe shook his head. "If I'm right, they would have been prepping to evacuate as we were doing our scans. Hell, they probably saw us on their scanners and waited until we left." Poe wanted to punch something, but he'd only wind up breaking his hand. Or worse. "No, you were right. If we'd come in here guns blazing, we'd have been blown to bits." He knew that, but that didn't make it an easy pill to swallow.

"I'm sure Beebee-Ate found something. Or Rey did. Speaking of, where is she?"

"I sent her below. I have a bad feeling about this place."

Finn nodded. "Yeah, something's definitely off."

"There's a darkness," Poe said, flexing his fingers. "It feels a bit like when Rey and I visited the Emperor's estate on Naboo. There were a bunch of Sith artifacts in a secret room." Certainty struck him like a lightening bolt. "Oh kriff."

"What?"

"What if that's why Palpatine chose _this _place?"

"You think it has some connection to the Dark Side?"

Something Rey said to him in passing clicked. "Think about it. Exegol was the Sith home world, more or less, right?" Finn nodded. "But the Jedi have temples all over the galaxy, not just the big one on Coruscant." He locked eyes with his friend, dread settling in his stomach. "What if the Sith did too?"

"Poe, that's a hell of an assumption to make."

Poe crossed his arms over his chest. "This Force stuff is still a little freaky to me, but if I can sense it, then I _know_ you can. There's Darkness here, Finn." He blanched. "And I sent Rey right into the heart it. _Stupid."_ If something happened to her, it would be his fault.

Finn didn't want to admit it, but Poe was right. He did sense the darkness. He simply thought it was general bad vibes from this being a First Order base, not Darkness with a capital D. But as he looked around, he realized this place was far older than the First Order. It had to date back to the Empire, at least. "We have to find her."

"Yeah." Poe turned to BB-8, forcing himself not to panic. "Can you pull up the schematic, buddy?" While Poe scanned the layout of the base, Finn tried to raise Rey on comms.

"She's not answering."

Poe ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I asked her to leave her comm on!"

"Poe, this is Rey we're talking about. She'd rather protect us than let us come to her rescue if she's in trouble!" For a moment, Finn was back on the Death Star, screaming for Rey, only for her to Force shove him away. She was protecting him, he knew that, but it still hurt.

"Damn Jedi." Why did she think she needed to do everything herself? He should have gone with her. They were a team, damn it. The one time he thought with his head instead of his heart and look what happened! "Okay, this lift should take us down there. Let's go."

Finn turned to Jannah. "We'll be back soon."

"I'm staying with you."

"We won't be long. I promise."

Jannah didn't look happy about it, but she nodded. Chewie roared. "We'll get her, Chewie."

Just as Poe reached the lift, he felt the ground rumble beneath him. What the hell? Something caught the back of his parka, yanking him to the ground. Poe screamed, his body landing hard on the duracrete. Red hot flames shot out of the lift, licking the bottoms of his boots. The explosion was deafening; metal creaked, weak joints gave way. The ground fell out from under him; his stomach flew into his throat. His pained cry was lost in more explosions and more screams.

He must have been knocked out for a few moments. When he opened his eyes again, Poe choked on dust and scorched air. He tried to lift his head, nearly banging it on a beam. "Finn?" he called. "Chewie! Jannah!" His lower body was pinned; Poe strained against it. He tried to lift the beam off himself, but it was too heavy. Suddenly there was a roar and the beam rose just enough for Poe to get out from under it. "Chewie?"

A furred hand reached out; Poe accepted it gratefully. The Wookie pulled him into a hug. "I'm okay, Chewie," Poe promised. He'd have some bruises, but other than that he was fine. "Let's find the others." He called out for Finn and Jannah. Finn wasn't far from Poe; he, too, had fallen through the floor. They had to be careful; the broken ground under their feet wasn't entirely stable.

Finn took Poe's hand, hauling himself up. "Where's Jannah?"

"Here!" It took Poe, Finn and Chewie to lift the console Jannah was stuck under. She had a cut on her forehead that bled a lot, but she seemed fine otherwise. Poe found BB-8 under one of the old ships, beeping frantically.

Poe tried to soothe him. "We're gonna find her, buddy."

Jannah now had a torn bit of scarf tied around her head. "Find who? Poe, no one could survive that."

Finn scowled. "Jannah, Rey's our friend. We're not leaving here without her."

The former stormtrooper pointed to the hidden door they'd initially come through. "We're not leaving here either unless we can fix _that."_ The explosion had knocked the door off the track; it was stuck open at an odd angle. "We don't have time to retrieve a corpse."

Poe swallowed, his fists clenched in anger. Rey wasn't dead. He'd _know._ He'd feel it. Yeah, he might not have felt it on Exegol, but things had changed. He wasn't the same man. He _loved_ her. When Poe locked eyes with Finn, he knew his friend sensed it too.

They both turned to Jannah. _"She's alive,"_ they said together.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note: **Apologies for the cliffhanger! Thank you for all the wonderful comments! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I enjoyed writing it.

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Chapter 15**

"Anything yet?" Poe ran his fingers through his hair for the tenth time; he was getting more and more anxious. It had taken Jannah and BB-8 thirty minutes to bring the system back online enough to get the fire suppression system going. The fire was out now, but they were still trying to find the safest way for Poe and Finn to get to the bottom of the elevator shaft. It was partially melted now; the whole base was unstable.

"Not yet," Finn said, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Don't you dare tell me to be patient, Finn," Poe growled. Rey was down there somewhere. He could feel it. Jannah tried to argue with he and Finn for all of five minutes before she gave up. They weren't going anywhere unless Rey was with them.

"I wasn't," Finn replied, not offended by his friend's outburst. He was worried too, but he imagined it was much worse for Poe. The man wouldn't stop pacing; he simply wasn't in his right mind. Not that Finn blamed him. While Finn loved Rey in a different way than Poe, he was no less terrified for her.

Poe blew out a breath. "I can't just _stand _here," he argued. "She's down there, Finn. What if she's hurt? Gods, this is all my fault. I should have never sent her down there alone."

Finn grasped his friend by the shoulders. "Poe, listen to me. This is _not _your fault. We don't know what set off the explosion. Rey's a Jedi. She survived Exegol…"

"Only because _Kylo Ren_ brought her back to _life_!" Poe hissed. "There's no one to bring her back if she's…if she's…" His mouth refused to form the word. She wasn't dead. She wasn't. He'd only just found her. He couldn't lose her. Not again. _Gods, please don't let this be happening again._

Finn tried to think of words to make this better, but he had none. Finn felt Rey in the Force still, but it was faint. Not faint enough to lose hope, but Poe wasn't wrong. They couldn't _bring Rey back to life._ They could only hope that she hung on long enough for them to get to her.

"Found something!"

Jannah's urgent shout drew them to the cracked console. "What is it?"

Jannah pointed to the screen. It was cracked, appearing more like a spiderweb than a display screen. "There. A lifeform, human."

Hope surged in Poe's chest. Rey _was_ alive! He followed the former stormtrooper's finger to the blinking blue light. "How do I get down there?"

"How do _we_ get down there," Finn corrected. "She'll kill _me _if I let you go alone."

Poe smiled gratefully at his best friend. "Thanks, Finn."

It turned out there was a maintenance tunnel that led to the lowest levels of the base; it had been excavated when the base was first manned, before the lifts were functioning. It was six feet tall and four feet wide, barely enough for a man to fit. Finn would need to stoop, just a little. The men left all unnecessary accoutrements in the hangar; Chewie and Jannah got to work on the hangar door. The moment they returned with Rey Poe wanted to get the hell out of there.

"We're going to find her," Finn said as they walked. The base specs hadn't been kidding about the low ceiling; as much as he tried, he still brushed the top of his head against rock every few feet. The hood of his parka eased it some, but he would be glad when they were topside, even if it was bitterly cold.

"I know we are."

"She's gonna be alright."

Poe squeezed the holo device that pointed their way. He knew Finn was only trying to help, but he was only adding to Poe's anxiety. "Finn, buddy, you don't have to reassure me every five minutes, okay?"

"Right."

The tunnel moved at a shallow incline; it was pitch black, aside from the holodisplay. They'd managed to download a copy of the schematic from the console before the last of the power died. There was a back up generator, but its housing had been cracked in the explosion. They would need to get it back online in order to get the massive hangar door open. Poe couldn't think that far ahead; his only goal right now was to find Rey and get her topside.

He just wanted her back in his arms.

After what felt like an eternity, the tunnel shifted to the right. "I think I see light ahead." Poe switched off his holo; sure enough, a small sliver of light appeared. "This must be the bottom of the lift shaft." Their steps quickened; Poe felt a flutter at the back of his mind. _Rey._ _I'm coming for you, Sunshine, _he thought.

When they reached the end of the tunnel, they looked up. The lift cabin hung above their heads; it was blackened, cracked and melted from the intense heat. "Can you give me a boost?" Finn was already moving, anticipating him. Poe reached for the edge of the opening and stuck his booted foot into Finn's hands. Poe hauled himself up, swinging his feet up last. His parka caught on a sharp edge of the destroyed lift; it tore as he freed himself. Torn, but still useable. Poe turned and stretched his hand out, helping Finn up after him.

"You feel that?"

"Yeah. She's here."

The area had once been officers' quarters, according to the schematic. The heat had destroyed any identifying markings, but Finn had been in enough First Order installations to know what he was looking at. "What's at the end of the hall?"

"No idea."

"Should we check it out?"

Poe shook his head. "We're just here to find Rey. She can tell us what she found later." She was obviously not in the hall; she must have found a place to get away from the flames. "There," he said, pointing. The door was shut; in fact, it was the _only _one that was shut.

"How do you know? The Force?"

"It's the only one that's shut. If I was going to keep from getting incinerated, I'd hide behind a nice thick door."

Finn smiled wryly. "Good point." Not everything was because of the Force; he needed to remember that.

There was no power for the door, of course. They had to open it the hard way. Finn took out the few tools they'd allowed themselves and started working to pry the door open. Poe focused on the task at hand, willing himself not to imagine all the things that could await them on the other side of the door. _Just let her be alive,_ he thought. Anything else they could handle, together.

Suddenly, there was the hiss of hydraulics as the door opened. Poe dropped everything and burst through the door.

It had been quarters. There was a bed, the remains of a desk and a closet. The room itself was wrecked, beams exploded through the ceiling, leaving dust and pieces of rock on the floor. He scanned the room frantically for Rey. "Rey? Rey!" He picked his way through the debris, climbing over broken beams. _Come on, Sunshine._ He spotted a scrap of dirty white cloth. "Rey!"

She was under one of the beams, unconscious. Poe knelt by her side; his fingers pressed against her neck. She had a pulse! She was alive. "Finn! Over here!" Some of her chestnut hair was matted with blood; she'd taken a good knock to the head. Poe ignored all of it, brushing a kiss to her temple. "We're gonna get you out of here, mi amor," he promised, relief washing over him. "I'm taking you home."

Before moving the beam, they checked her over carefully. Nothing seemed broken; Finn was sure she didn't have any internal bleeding. This wasn't the first time he had to call on his First Order medic training; it was something all troopers learned. It was just the basics, to determine who was worth saving, if they could fight another day. "We'll check her again on the Falcon," Finn promised his friend. "Looks like she's got a nasty concussion though."

"Is that why she's unconscious?" Poe had had his share of concussions; they weren't fun.

"Most likely. Like I said, we'll check her out on the ship. She's gonna be alright. She's strong."

Poe hadn't let go of her hand since Finn started his exam. He could feel her pulse under his fingers, steady and strong. He just wished she'd open her eyes. She looked so fragile, so delicate. Poe knew she was anything but. His Sunshine was a fighter.

It took every bit of strength he had to let her go long enough to help Finn slide the beam far enough away for them to get her free of the debris. Poe handed her lightsaber and pack to Finn, then he scooped her into his arms. She didn't even stir; her head rested on his shoulder, almost like she was sleeping. Finn led the way out. With the lift destroyed, they would need to take her back the way they came.

The hardest part was getting her down the lift shaft. Finn jumped down first, then Poe carefully handed her off. He jumped down next; Finn didn't protest when Poe held his arms out. Poe trusted Finn with his life, but if anyone was carrying his heart out of this cursed place, it was him.

They were silent as they trudged up the tunnel. It was harder going, carrying Rey, but Poe didn't care. All that mattered was that she was safe and warm and alive. Now that she was back in his arms, he allowed himself to breathe, to think. With Rey out of commission, they didn't have many options. In fact, anything other than her well-being was pretty far down his priority list. If that made him a terrible general, then that was too bad. Naboo was closest, but he didn't think it was safe. Not after Armas' supposed suicide. They could take her back to Ajan Kloss, but Poe didn't want to be dropped right back into the politicking his current job required. Rey needed to be somewhere safe, so she could heal.

For Poe, that left only one place. Home. Rey loved Yavin; they'd been planning on going there anyway, after the mission. Granted, they'd hoped for a better outcome, but Poe didn't see a reason to change plans. She would be surrounded by family, people who loved her. They all needed to rest, regroup and figure how to proceed.

And Poe really needed his dad.

Chewie's joyous roars greeted them at the end of the tunnel. BB-8 hurried over too, beeping in concern. "She's just unconscious, buddy. She got a hard hit on the head." The droid trilled. "No, you can't fix her. We need to get her back to the Falcon, okay?"

"How's the door coming?" Finn asked.

"We have it hooked up to the generator," Jannah said, looking a bit sheepish now that they'd found Rey safe and mostly sound. "But there's only enough power for one go at this. We'll need to be on the platform, ascending, as the hangar door opens."

"We could get crushed!"

"Maybe. But I don't see any other way."

If Rey was awake, she could probably use the Force to open the hangar door. It was heavy, but Poe had seen her move things heavier than that. But Rey wasn't awake, so they had to make due. "Okay, let's get out of here."

Poe, Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Chewie all stood near the edge of the landing platform, near where the hangar door above had already fallen open a bit. The cold hit Poe like a sledgehammer; he hugged Rey closer to his chest. It would be a long walk to the Falcon. Jannah remained behind long enough to trigger the mechanism, then she dashed after them, jumping aboard the moving platform. Higher and higher it rose; the wind started whipping around them, almost in a whirlpool. For a long terrifying moment, Poe thought they _were _going to get crushed; the space between them and the heavy hangar door got smaller and smaller.

An almighty screech rent the air; Poe ducked instinctively, curling his body around Rey's unconscious form. The next time he looked up there was more light; the hangar door slowly opened wider. He allowed himself a glimpse; Finn stood nearby, his hands outstretched, his face contorted in concentration.

_Finn held the door open with the Force._

There wasn't any time to marvel at his friend; Chewie was already hopping off the platform and into the snow. The Wookie lifted Poe (who was still carrying Rey) off the platform like he weighed no more than a sack of meal. Jannah and BB-8 were next, then Finn. The moment Finn's feet hit the snow he collapsed, exhausted.

The ground rumbled dangerously under their feet. "We gotta go!" Poe screamed. "Finn! Come on, buddy!"

Finn nodded weakly; Jannah helped him to his feet. But he stumbled after a few steps. Chewie wasted no time, scooping Finn into his arms and hurrying after Poe and Rey. Jannah and BB-8 were right on their heels. It was a good thing too, because they'd gotten no more than a hundred yards away when they heard the entire base cave in on itself. Within hours it would be buried in snow. If they didn't hurry, they would be too.

"I'm fine," Finn snapped, pushing Chewie away.

"Finn…" Jannah began, but Finn cut her off with a glare.

Poe missed most of the exchange; he was too busy getting Rey settled in their bunk. She still hadn't awoken; he was trying not to worry too much. He hurried over to the fresher to get water, cloths and some bacta. He ignored the argument going on outside, focused solely on Rey. Had it only been a few hours since the last time he washed grime and soot from her beautiful face? She was so still, save her steady breathing. Poe's hands shook slightly; he knew he was barely holding it together. She had to be alright. She _had _to be.

"Poe."

Poe heard Finn, but he couldn't leave Rey. He wasn't leaving Rey. Chewie was perfectly capable of flying the Falcon by himself.

Finn approached slowly; he could feel the barely repressed emotions threatening to boil over in his friend. Poe was terrified; Finn was too. He wouldn't breathe easily until Rey was awake and with them again. But they needed Poe. They needed him to fly them out of here. Now.

He tried again. "Poe."

"Get out of here, Finn."

Finn stepped closer. "Poe, I'll look after…"

"_NO!"_ Poe cringed at his outburst. "Sorry, Finn, I just…I…"

Finn laid a hand on Poe's arm. "I know it's the last thing you want. _I get it._ But, Poe, we gotta get outta here. We need the best pilot in the Resistance to get us out of here. She needs you in that seat, Poe. I promise, I won't leave her side."

Poe knew Finn was right. Rey needed more medical attention than they could give her on the Falcon. The base on Yavin would have what they needed. The trouble was Yavin was more than two days away in regular hyperspace. The only way to get there faster was to lightspeed skip. And Poe was the only one who could do it successfully.

Slowly, Poe nodded. He brought Rey's lifeless hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. He said nothing; his throat was thick with emotion as he forced himself to let go and leave the room. She would be alright. She _would. _He had to believe that. BB-8 beeped dejectedly as Poe passed; it rolled into the captain's quarters to keep vigil with Finn. Chewie was halfway through the start up sequence when Poe arrived.

"We're going to Yavin," he announced. Chewie growled. "I know, Chewie, but the moment we touch down there, this'll be all over the holonet. Too many damn politicians on Naboo." He settled into the seat; the familiar thrill he usually got whenever he got to fly the Falcon absent. "She's gonna be okay. We can have Kalonia meet us on Yavin. You remember the base there, right?" Chewie nodded. "We've fixed it up. They'll have what we need. Plus, you get to see my dad again." Chewie seemed pleased by that. "Yeah, he remembers you, buddy."

As the Falcon took off, Poe radioed Jess and gave her a brief update. She was worried about Rey, but Poe told her to go to Naboo and coordinate with the investigation into Armas' death. He wanted answers sooner rather than later. Once Blue Squadron was away, he sent a message to Connix, asking her to have Kalonia meet them on Yavin. He didn't say why; he couldn't have gotten the words out if he'd tried.

He needed to focus. Lightspeed skipping was dangerous enough as it was; it was typically used to evade pursuit. A series of random fast jumps designed to either destroy anyone following you or lose them in the vast web of hyperspace. There wasn't anyone following them. Poe was trying to aim the Falcon in the general direction of Yavin and jump randomly to get there.

Rey would kill him when she woke up.

He flipped the comm to address the ship. "Everyone, strap yourselves in," he ordered. "This is gonna be a bumpy ride."

The moment they broke atmo, Poe reached for the hyperdrive and made the first jump.

* * *

Kes wiped sweat from his brow. It was sweltering, the heart of the summer season on Yavin. He and the oldest of the Iktotchi children had been tending the south orchard all morning; Kes was starting to feel it. He wasn't as young as he used to be. He took a long pull from his canteen; the water tasted heavenly.

His helper walked up, a dozen koyo melons stacked in his arms. "Last ones," the boy announced.

"Good. Add them to this bushel, then we'll head inside for some lunch." The children had only been there a few days, but they were settling in nicely. Kes volunteered to keep them on the ranch rather than have them bunk in the barracks at the base. It had been many years since the sound of children filled the house. Kes hadn't realized how much he missed it. His son was all grown up, a general; Kes was fiercely proud. Yet, he missed his boy, with his mop of dark curls like his mother.

"Kes! Kes!"

Kes looked up; he was stunned to see Karé running toward him. She looked worried; Kes was instantly on alert. "Is it Poe?"

Karé skidded to a stop, breathing hard from her run. She pressed on hand into her side, trying to ease the stitch. "Poe's fine. It's Rey."

Kes squeezed the handle of the cart to steady himself. "Is she…"

"She's alive. They were infiltrating a secret First Order base; there was an explosion. She's unconscious, Kes. They don't know when she's going to wake up."

Kes was grateful that Karé said "when" and not "if." He'd only known Rey for a short time, but he loved her like she was his own. The young woman was such a kind giving soul; he understood immediately why his son was so taken with her. They'd just gotten engaged, for kriff's sake! Poe had to be going out of his mind with worry. His son had suffered too much loss in his life. Kes knew all too well what it felt like to lose the love of your life. He constantly prayed that Poe wouldn't suffer that fate.

"They're on their way here," Karé continued.

"I need to get Poe's room ready then."

"Kalonia's on her way; they'll check her over at the base…"

Kes shook his head. "That may be, but my son isn't bringing Rey here because of the base. He's bringing her here because this is _home."_

A few hours later, the Millennium Falcon landed on the pad. The old ship looked a bit worse for wear since Kes had seen it last. Only a few weeks had passed, but it felt longer. The gangway lowered slowly; Kes didn't bother to wait. He came up short at the bottom; he wasn't prepared for the sight of his son carrying the woman he loved in his arms.

"Mijo," Kes breathed as Poe got to the bottom.

Poe leaned on his dad for a fleeting moment. "I didn't know where else to go," he confessed quietly.

"You're _home_, mijo. That is all that matters." Kes touched Rey's cheek. "We're going to take good care of her. Your room's been prepared. You can take her there." He watched as Poe trudged toward the house, his heart breaking for his son.

A familiar roar got his attention. "Chewbacca?" Kes looked up; the Wookie walked heavily down the gangway. Kes hadn't seen him in nearly thirty years. Chewbacca wrapped Kes into a tight hug; Kes reciprocated as best he could. "It's so good to see you, old friend." Kes had been saddened to hear of Han's passing; he knew Chewbacca must still be mourning the twin losses of Han and Leia.

Another couple followed Chewbacca from the ship. Kes smiled. "You must be Finn. Poe's told me so much about you."

Finn looked exhausted, but he smiled faintly. "Me too. It's good to finally meet you…"

"Kes. You must call me Kes."

"Kes, this is Jannah."

"Hello, Jannah."

Jannah followed Chewie, but Finn hung back. "We wouldn't have gotten here so fast without Poe. But I've never seen him like this."

Kes sighed sadly. "I have. He told you about his mother?" Finn nodded. "He was only small, but it left it's mark on him. On both of us."

"Rey's going to be okay." Though Kes couldn't tell if Finn was trying to convince himself or Kes.

Before Kes could reply, another ship arrived. It was Kalonia; Kes knew of her. She was the Resistance's resident doctor. She had a host of medical droids with her; Kes led them into the house. Poe had Rey settled in his childhood bed; Kes had to gently ease him back so the doctor could do her work. Father and son stood side by side, refusing to leave until they got a prognosis.

Poe crossed his arms over his chest, despite the fact that it was hard for him to breathe. He'd managed to push down his fear and worry long enough to get them to Yavin, but now he was barely holding himself together. Seeing Rey like this tore at his heart. She was vibrant, so full of life! He couldn't imagine his life without her in it. S_he's going to be fine_, he kept telling himself. _It's just a concussion._

Though, he'd never heard of a concussion lasting this long. Even with lightspeed skipping, it took them almost a whole day to reach Yavin 4.

"Well?" Poe snapped.

Kalonia's fingers brushed Rey's forehead. "I'm not sure why she's still unconscious."

"What the hell does that mean? How can you not know? You've been running tests for over an hour!"

"And I am telling you I've never seen anything like this. All her tests are normal. She _should_ be awake. If a bit bruised and sore."

"Can you wake her?"

Kalonia shook her head. "I wouldn't advise it. Brain injuries can be delicate. We might do more harm than good. She'll wake when the time is right."

"Not good enough."

"Poe, there is nothing else I can do for her. Not medically."

"Then how do you know she's going to wake up?!" Poe demanded.

"I don't."

Poe wanted to rant, to rage at the doctor, but a hand on his shoulder caused him to bite his tongue. The moment Kalonia and her battery of droids exited the room, Poe shook off his father's hand and sat on the edge of the bed. He took Rey's hand between both of his, blinking back tears. "Come back to me, mi amor," he whispered. "Please. I need you."

Kes waited until Poe's shoulders stopped shaking with quiet sobs. Then he spoke. "What happened, mijo?"

Poe didn't want to recount the story, but he did anyway. There was only one person who could understand how he felt in that moment. Kes Dameron pulled up a seat next to the bed; his children needed him. He tried not to be drawn into sad memories, of Shara in Rey's place. Rey was strong. She would wake up. There would be no more death in this house.

"How did you…go on, after Mama?" Poe's voice was quiet, barely a whisper. He clung to Rey's hand despite how dirty and bloody he still was.

Kes swallowed. Poe had never asked him that before. "It was hard," he said at last. "The hardest thing I've ever done. But I had you, mijo. I had to be strong. She would not have wanted you to grieve her forever."

Poe's finger touched the ring that hung around Rey's neck. "She's all I have," he said, his voice breaking. "Gods, we've barely even talked about kids. She said she wasn't sure, which I get. After the childhood she had…" Poe clenched his fist, angry on her behalf all over again. "You should have seen her, Papa. With those children on Coruscant. She was a natural."

Kes smiled. "I don't doubt that."

"But even if she never wants…all I need is her. I just want her, Papa." A wave of emotion overwhelmed him; Poe choked on a sob. Kes was up in a flash, holding his son as he cried.

* * *

"Poe! Poe! I'm here!" Rey cried, ignoring the tears that coursed down her cheeks. Why couldn't he hear her? She felt his despair; it was like a knife in her chest. She could feel his hand, but when she looked, there was nothing there. Rey blinked. Where was she?

She didn't remember much. Caedia. Going to the bottom levels of the base. An explosion? Yes, she remembered that. Had she gotten knocked out? Even then, that didn't explain where _here_ was. How could she feel Poe's hand in hers if they weren't in the same place?

Wherever she was, it was dark. She reached for her lightsaber, but it was gone. _Don't panic._ She couldn't help it; she despised being unarmed. Even if it was just a simple staff. She checked her holster just be sure; her blaster was gone too. _Kriff._ She reached out into the Force, she sensed something ahead. Something powerful. It felt a bit like those moments on Exegol when the Jedi of the past finally spoke to her.

Rey had no choice but to follow it. She needed to figure where she was, so she could get back home.

She'd taken no more than a dozen steps when the space around her started to brighten. Encouraged, she kept going. The corridor widened into a cavernous space, crisscrossed by paths carved out of the rock.

The hum of a lightsaber igniting was her only warning. Rey ducked and rolled, quickly springing to her feet to face her attacker. There was a flash of movement to her left; the being wielding the saber slashed at her once again. She did a running back flip into the center of the webbed paths. "I'm not going to hurt you!" she tried to explain. "I'm just trying to get home!"

"How did you find this place?"

The voice was human, male, older. He hung in the shadows, keeping the saber lowered so that she couldn't see his face. She was about to answer when he came at her again; this time, she held out both hands and shoved him back, hard. Her attacker landed with a hard thump; the saber went out.

"You have the Force." The man stood, clearly confused. "Who _are_ you?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Rey countered, still wary. "What is this place?"

"I asked you first."

Rey fought not to roll her eyes. She didn't have time for childish games. "Come into the light."

With a resigned sigh, her companion stepped forward. He was human, inky black hair streaked with grey, piercing blue eyes. He wasn't very tall, but he possessed a lanky build that made him appear taller. His clothes were patched and frayed; his pants were made from animal skin. Which animal, she didn't want to know. His lightsaber looked like it was pieced together from scraps; it wasn't perfect. He seemed oddly familiar somehow, though she'd never met him before.

"Now, do you mind telling me who you are and how you got here?" he demanded.

"I am Rey Skywalker. I don't even know where here _is_, let alone how I got here."

"You're a Jedi?"

She nodded. "I take it you are too, though I'm supposed to be the last."

The man laughed, bitterly. "I knew someone once, who was supposed to be the last Jedi. Or so he thought."

"You knew Luke Skywalker?"

The man frowned, confused. "Who the hell is Luke Skywalker? The only Skywalker I've ever heard of was Anakin, but he's dead. Wait, why do you have the same last name?"

"It's a long story. If you didn't know Luke, then who was your master?"

"Kanan Jarrus."

Rey's eyes widened. If Kanan was this man's master, then…she wracked her brain, trying to remember all that Hera had told her about the Ghost's adventures during the Rebellion. Poe loved to listen to his hero's stories; she wished she'd paid more attention. She'd spent much of that evening staring fondly at the man she loved as he soaked in all in. Hera definitely mentioned Kanan's apprentice. What was his name?

_Ezra Bridger._

"_You're_ Ezra Bridger!"

"How do you know that name?" His blue eyes shined with sadness and wonder; how long had it been since someone said his name out loud?

"Hera Syndulla."

"Hera's alive?" Ezra took a shaky breath. "What about Sabine? Zeb? Ahsoka?"

"Yes, Hera's alive. Those others…they were on the Ghost with you, right? Hera said that Sabine and Ahsoka went to look for you, after the war. If you're here, then I guess they never found you."

Ezra's shoulders slumped. "No. After the battle with General Thrawn, I never saw any of them again." Ezra blinked. "You said…after the war. It's over? The Empire was defeated?"

How long had Ezra been in this place? Rey explained as briefly as she could about the defeat of the Empire and the New Republic. She could tell he had a million more questions, but she needed some answers of her own. "Ezra, what is this place?"

Ezra joined her in the center of the web. "This is the World between Worlds," he said, gesturing widely. "I am its guardian. I have been for…I honestly don't know how long. What year is it?"

"35 ABY." When Ezra blinked, she explained how the dating system changed after the Empire was defeated. "About 37 years after you went missing, give or take."

"Thirty-seven years," Ezra said slowly. "Time moves differently here, almost to the point where it has _no _meaning." Ezra held out his hand. "I'm sorry I attacked you. The last time someone tried to break in here, it was the Emperor."

Rey shook the offered hand, hoping Ezra couldn't sense her relationship to the Sith Lord. "I didn't break in; at least, not on purpose. I have no idea how I got here. But I need to get home. I have…someone waiting for me." Even now, she could feel Poe. If she ignored the evidence of her eyes, she could almost feel him beside her, curled up against her side, willing her to come back to him.

It was a very odd sensation, but a welcome one. She missed him. She wanted to tell him that everything would be alright.

"Is that him?"

Rey looked up; her jaw dropped. She'd hardly noticed the archways at the end of edges of the web earlier. Now, one of them reflected the image she'd just imagined. Rey lay in a bed, unconscious, a cut at her hairline. Her Jedi robes were gone; she was dressed in one of Poe's old shirts and tucked under the blankets. Poe lay curled up beside her, his dark curls a mess, his jaw covered in at least two days growth of beard. He was whispering to her, her hand held in his. His usually warm brown eyes were red rimmed and shining, like he was holding back tears.

"Poe…" She tried to reach out; the image flickered.

"He's very worried about you."

Rey rounded on Ezra. "How can I be there and here at the same time?"

"Because you are the Light _and_ the Dark."

Both Rey and Erza turned. Another Jedi stood just inside another one of the portals. Shoulder length brown hair, blue eyes, his face was kind. But it was the voice that Rey recognized. "Master Qui Gon?"

"Very good, Rey."

"You spoke to me. On Exegol."

"Did I?" Qui Gon's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "As Ezra explained, time moves differently here. What has occurred for you is in my future."

Rey's head hurt as she tried to make sense of that. In her time, Qui Gon Jinn was long dead. Yet, somehow, he stood in front of her, very much alive. "What does that mean, I'm the light and the dark? I don't understand."

"The World between Worlds exists outside of petty things like time and space," Qui Gon said. "Those things are a construct of mortal beings and lie outside the Cosmic Force."

"Okay…" She still didn't get it and judging by the look on Ezra's face, he didn't either.

"Think about it, Rey. What were you drawn to, just before you landed here?"

What was she doing on Caedia? The Sith Temple! "But that was a Sith Temple."

"Exactly. The part of you that is tethered to the Living Force is there," he gestured to the portal. "But the part of you that belongs to the Cosmic Force found its way here. It's quite extraordinary."

Rey blinked, more confused than ever. "Living Force? Cosmic Force? What does that have to do with the Jedi and the Sith?"

Qui Gon looked inexplicably sad. "The Sith and the Jedi are more alike than either will ever acknowledge. They worship two halves of a whole. You _are_ a Jedi, Rey. But the Dark Side will always be a part of you."

"But I don't want it! I don't want to ever be like…" Her grandfather. She didn't say it; the sympathetic look in Qui Gon's eyes told her that she didn't have to. Like Master Luke, he already knew.

"I opened a Sith holocron once," Ezra said. "We all have a bit of the Dark Side, Rey. It's what we choose to do with it that matters."

She looked around at the portals; many of them had images now. Moments in time, all from her life. Rey at ten, climbing through a downed Star Destroyer, only to fall and break her arm. Rey at four, playing happily in the mud until her mother snatched her up and gently scolded her for getting so filthy. Tears stung at her eyes. Rey blinked them away. The next was Rey on Starkiller base, Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber zooming into her hand. Another was a quiet moment around a campfire, Rey laughing at something Finn had said. Poe sat across from them, his eyes focused not on Finn, but on her. His gentle smile at her happiness tugged at her heart. She missed him more fiercely than ever. Still another showed that horrible moment on Pasaana, Force lightening erupting from her hand. She could still feel the horror of what she thought she'd done. The last carried her final saber duel with Kylo Ren. Rey stood in front of it for a long time, watching as the fear and anger overwhelmed her.

"If we focus on our greatest failings," a wise voice said softly, "how can we move forward?"

"I'm a Jedi, I'm not supposed to have failings."

"That is why the Jedi will fall," Qui Gon said sadly. "Of course, in your time it has already happened. I have tried to warn against it, to encourage Master Yoda to focus on the Living Force. Unfortunately, harsh experience is often the best teacher."

"Can they be brought back?" Rey asked softly. "Should I even try?"

"That is a question only you can answer, Rey. You are not as alone as you think." Qui Gon looked toward Ezra. "Help may be found in many unexpected places."

"Is this a dream?" It all seemed surreal, seeing her past and her present. Being here and in Poe's bedroom on Yavin.

"Many things are possible in the Force, Rey of Jakku." Qui Jon returned to the portal that he entered from, a teasing smile on his lips. "You can stop punishing yourself, Ezra Bridger. He is proud of you. It is time to return home."

Ezra blinked, his face white. "What?"

"Yes, it is time to return home." Rey walked over to Ezra. "Thank you, Ezra."

"For what?"

Rey didn't know how or when, but she knew that she would see him again. "I guess we'll both find out later. But I would listen to Master Qui Gon. He's very wise." The man in question was gone, but Rey was grateful for his guidance. She spent so long doubting her ability to lead, to train a new generation of Jedi. She was still afraid, but at least now, she knew she wasn't alone. She had Finn and Poe. In time, she would see Ezra again. She would right the wrongs of her grandfather and bring back the Jedi.

And she would do it her way.

Ezra still looked very confused as Rey walked up to the portal. The image had changed somewhat. Poe was asleep, his arm curled over her belly. She didn't have to imagine his fear and worry; she felt it as if it were her own. "I'm coming back to you, Poe," she whispered. She took one final look around, then she stepped through the portal.

* * *

A wave of pain hit her as she opened her eyes. Rey groaned, squeezing her eyes shut again. It wasn't just her head, though that felt like it was splitting open. Her whole body ached, like something heavy had been dropped on her. "Ow."

Beside her, Poe jerked awake. "Rey? _Rey!"_ He hugged her tight, joy flooding his heart. She moaned softly; Poe released her. "Oh, I am so sorry! Did I hurt you? Are you okay?"

Rey opened her eyes, her hand quickly finding his. "Everything hurts," she replied, her voice hoarse.

"You were pinned under a support beam when we found you." He kissed her temple, his lips warm and featherlight. "Force, Sunshine, I'm so glad you're awake. I was so worried."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Yeah, it's…um, hard to explain." Her time in the World between Worlds _felt_ real, but Poe might think she was crazy. Or dreaming. It might have been a dream. Until she was feeling more herself, she could wait to explain.

"You're here and that is all that matters." The relief in his brown eyes made her heart clench.

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"I'm sorry I sent you down there alone. I should have been there."

"But you saved me."

"Me and Finn. We weren't leaving there without you." He brushed some hair away from her face. "Can I kiss you?"

She smiled, even though the sudden movement made her head swim. "Yes, please."

Poe's lips touched hers, so soft, so tender; Rey melted. She ignored the aches and pain as she reached for him, holding him close. "Am I hurting you?" he asked, forehead pressed to hers.

"It's fine." She sighed as his arms came around her; this felt right. "I love you, Poe."

Poe closed his eyes, savoring the sound of those words on her lips. "Love you too, Sunshine."

While he would love nothing more than to hold her, now that she was awake, they needed the doctor to look her over. His lips touched her forehead apologetically. "I'm going to get Kalonia, okay? Everyone's gonna be so happy you're awake."

She didn't want him to leave, but she nodded. "Don't be gone too long, okay?"

He grinned. "Wild banthas couldn't keep me away, sweetheart." He pressed his lips to the back of her hand. "Back in a minute." Feeling lighter than he could have imagined a few hours ago, Poe climbed from their bed and padded to the door. He paused long enough to tug on his boots. He glanced once more in her direction; she looked cute tucked into his childhood bed. Love for her welled in his throat; if he wasn't careful, he'd start crying again.

The doctor. Right. Poe forced himself to leave the room, hurrying downstairs. "Kalonia! Rey's awake! She's awake!"

The doctor appeared, astonished. "Truly?"

"She says she's sore, but yeah. Awake and alert. Could you check her over, please?"

"On it, General."

Poe looked around for his dad and Finn. They weren't in the house. Poe dashed outside, yelling. "Papa! Finn! It's Rey! She's awake! _She's awake!"_

Finn appeared first, hauling a couple buckets of water. "Are you serious?"

Poe beamed. "Would I joke about that?"

Finn returned his smile. "Nope." He wrapped Poe up in a bear hug. "I needed that news, man."

"We both did." Poe knew the only person as worried about Rey was Finn. The three of them were best friends long before Poe realized he loved the young Jedi. "Thanks for being here, Finn. I wouldn't have made it without you."

"When can we see her?"

"Kalonia's checking her out now. She's pretty sore, so we might have to keep it short."

"I'm gonna go find Jannah."

"Okay. Have you seen my dad?"

"He was working in the south orchard last time I saw him."

"Thanks." Poe ran that way, calling for Kes.

Kes appeared, more koyo in his ams. "Mijo?" he asked, his eyes full of hope.

"She's awake! Rey's awake!"

Kes dropped the melons he was carrying and rushed to hug his son. "I am so happy for you, mijo."

Poe felt like he was a child again, so thankful he had his dad there. "I was so scared, Papa."

Kes cradled Poe's head as his son's tears soaked his shirt. "It's going to be alright, Poe. You got her back."

Poe sniffed and raised his head. "Sorry, I don't know why I…"

Kes smiled gently. "These are happy tears, mijo. No one will think less of you for being overjoyed that your love has returned to you."

Poe wiped his eyes and nose on his sleeve, just like he did when he was seven and scraped his knees falling off a speeder. "Thanks, Papa. Do you want to see her? Kalonia's examining her, but I know she'll want to see you."

"Lead on, mijo."

Kalonia was just finishing up when Poe and Kes slipped inside. Rey's face lit up when she saw the Dameron men enter the room. "Kes!" She started to sit up, but she winced in pain at the bruise on her hip.

"Slowly, Master Skywalker," Kalonia chided. "Your body needs time to heal."

"Listen to the doctor, mija," Kes said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "There's no rush."

Rey leaned against the pillows she propped up behind her back. "It is good to see you." She smiled, sheepish. "Though I'm sorry it's under these circumstances." Poe sat on the other side and took her hand.

"Of course, you should recuperate at home, mija," Kes replied. He covered their joined hands. "I am always glad to have my children with me."

Rey's lip trembled; tears stung her eyes. Kes loved her like the daughter he'd never had. After losing both her real father and Luke, she was so grateful to have Kes. "Thank you."

Kes cleared his throat. "Are you hungry? It's a little early for dinner, but we can make an exception."

"Starving actually."

Kes kissed her forehead. "Then dinner will be served shortly." He got up to leave, giving his children some privacy.

"How do you feel? What did Kalonia say?"

"I've got some bruises, from the, uh, beam, I guess?" She didn't remember the beam falling on her, but Poe said that's how he found her. "But my head seems clear."

"No idea why you were unconscious for so long?"

Rey shook her head. "How long was I out?"

"Almost three days."

Rey blinked. It hadn't felt like three days, but time moved differently where she was. "That explains this," she said, her fingers combing through the growth of beard on his jaw.

"I couldn't leave you," Poe confessed. "Papa stayed with you once while I changed clothes and washed off the dirt and blood. Other than that, I stayed with you."

"Blood?"

"Got a few scrapes when the floor collapsed from under me."

"Are you okay?" Rey asked, suddenly worried.

"They're already healing, so don't even think about it, Sunshine," he said sternly. "You need all your lifeforce for _you."_

"Yes, sir."

Poe kissed the back of her hand. She giggled as his beard scratched her skin. "Do you hate it? I can shave…"

Rey cupped his cheek. "I don't hate it." She drew her nails through the salt and pepper growth. "It suits you, old man."

Poe growled, leaning forward to kiss her soundly. "I'm shaving it off," he murmured between kisses. "Old man…"

Rey sank her fingers into his curls; they were just as soft as she remembered. "Maybe you can keep it for a little while," she breathed, a tendril of arousal sparking in her belly despite the lingering soreness in her body. She could only imagine how his beard would feel between her legs.

"Yeah?" Poe asked, sliding his lips down her throat. He kissed every patch of unblemished skin, relearning the taste of her.

Rey arched, gripping his shoulders. "Definitely."

"Rey, I'm so glad you're…oh, for the love of all that is holy!" Finn cried.

Rey and Poe jumped apart, their faces red. Poe kept his back turned; Rey couldn't even look at Finn. This wasn't the first time Finn had caught them kissing, but it was the most compromised they'd been. "Ah, hi, Finn."

Finn had his hand over his eyes. "Can I look now?"

Poe cleared his throat; Rey suppressed a giggle as she threw a scrap of the blanket over his lap. "Yeah, we're good."

Behind Finn, Jannah just smiled. "Don't mind him," she said. "He doesn't deal with change well. Glad to see you're back with us, Jedi."

"Me too."

Finn dropped his hand, looking exasperated at both the couple and his girlfriend. "Wasn't the doctor just here?"

"I've got some bruises, but I'm fine."

"What about your head?"

Rey shrugged. She wanted to tell them all about the World between Worlds, but it still sounded crazy, even to her. "My scans are good. But I've been ordered to rest."

"You hear that Poe? _Rest_," Finn said pointedly.

Poe finally calmed down enough to look at his friend. "I didn't know you were the rest police, Finn." It wasn't like he planned any of this! He missed having the woman he loved in his arms, so what?

Finn chose to ignore that. They were going to ignore him the first chance they got, so it wasn't worth wasting his breath. Though he would _never_ get used to seeing his two best friends in any kind of intimate embrace. It was just weird. For him. "You sure gave us a scare, Rey."

"Sorry."

"Do you remember what happened?" Poe asked gently.

"Some. Oh! That reminds me. Do you have my pack?"

"Sure." Poe brought her the pack. "What's the datapad?"

"I found it in one of the officer's quarters. I broke into it."

"You did?"

Rey nodded as she pulled it out. She tried switching it on. "Kriff, I think it's dead."

"Dead, dead? Or maybe it just needs charged?"

"Let's hope it's the latter."

"What's on it?" Finn asked.

"A kill list. There was an old one from the Civil War and a newer one. I was on it. So was Leia."

"Leia?"

"I don't know how old it is, but I think the people on it need to be warned."

Finn took it from her. "I'll get it charged up and see if Beebee-Ate can get it up and running."

"Thanks, Finn." She felt better now that they knew about the list. Perhaps something good would come out of the trip to Caedia after all. Eventually, they had to get a win, right?

Finn and Jannah stayed until Kes announced that dinner was ready. Poe insisted Rey remain in bed while he fixed her a plate. She tried to protest, but the moment she tried to stand, her head began to throb. While her tests were negative for severe brain injury, Kalonia had warned that she needed to rest for a few more days. Rey had never been the resting type, but Poe's stern glare convinced her to heed the doctor. For now.

Rey heard footsteps outside her room as Poe brought back two plates piled high with all of Rey's favorite dishes from their first visit to Yavin. "Who's out there?"

Poe set the plates down on the dresser; he pulled out the old shelf he'd been using as a tray to eat on while Rey was unconscious. His dad practically had to force Poe to eat, but he was grateful. "The Iktotchi children. Remember we sent them to stay with my dad?"

"How are they doing?"

"Pretty good. Papa's got them working on the ranch until we can find a better arrangement."

"That's good."

Poe laid the shelf on her lap, then her plate. "You can see for yourself. Tomorrow, okay?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad."

Poe shuddered. "You're not making me want to keep the beard, sweetheart."

Rey leaned over and kissed his cheek as he settled in beside her. "It suits you." She did like it, but part of her missed her cocky flyboy. "I love you either way."

His grin made her warm all the way to her toes. "Good to know."

Kes' cooking, as usual, was delicious. Since it had been so long since she'd eaten properly, she had second helpings of everything. Poe wasn't in much better shape; his appetite was nearly non-existent while she was out. Even now, he reached for her, squeezing her hand, or kissing her, just to remind himself that she was awake and with him. Rey recalled him vividly from the portal, how worried and scared he'd been. She hated that he'd suffered like that. She wanted to tell him where she'd been, who she'd seen, but this wasn't the time.

"You know what I'd love right now?" Rey said, stretching her arms over her head. Poe chose the wrong moment to look; the way her back arched sent his brain spiraling in a very bad direction. She'd just woken up, for Force sake!

"What's that, Sunshine?" he asked, gathering up the plates.

"A bath."

Poe groaned inwardly. "You should probably rest…"

"Please?"

She was looking at him with those beautiful hazel eyes; he couldn't say no to her. "Give me fifteen minutes." Poe took the plates down to the kitchen; Kes and Finn were cleaning up from dinner. He explained what Rey wanted (Finn stared studiously the plate he was drying); Kes promised to get everyone away from that part of the house for the next hour or two. Once that was done, Poe hurried to the fresher to run her bath. On board ship, this wasn't possible, but Kes had insisted on including a tub when the house was built, as a gift to Shara.

Rey waited patiently for Poe to return. Other than the soreness from her bruises, she felt much better. Maybe she simply needed to eat? She swung her legs out of bed and stood. The borrowed shirt barely covered her; it made her smile. Poe's shirts were soft and comfortable; they smelled like him too. She took a couple experimental steps; she didn't feel dizzy. She was tired, despite sleeping for three days. Her body ached. But she would be okay.

"Everything's ready, sweetheart…oh." Poe stood in the doorway, surprised.

Rey smoothed her hands down her belly. "That was twelve minutes," she said. The air was suddenly thick between them; Rey fingered the hem of her shirt nervously. It almost like he was seeing her for the first time, all over again. A smile tugged at her mouth as his eyes traveled the length of her; Poe swallowed heavily.

"Should you be up and about?" he asked, stepping into the room.

Rey took a few more steps. "I feel fine. Sore, but fine. Not dizzy at all."

His shirt hung on her lithe frame; their similar heights meant that it fell to the tops of her thighs. The bruise on her hip peaked out of the bottom; it was a deep purple, but the edges were already turning yellow. When she reached him, Poe traced it with his fingertips. "I'm trying really hard to be good, Sunshine," he said, his voice scraping like gravel.

Rey shivered. "Maybe I don't want you to be good."

Poe's boots gave him an extra inch or so on her. His traitorous hands were on her waist, bunching his shirt between his fingers. Rey wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers sank into his hair. Poe bit his lip as she tugged on the strands. "Rey…"

She cut him off with a kiss, her tongue boldly seeking entrance. Poe groaned low in his throat as he granted it, kissing her back with barely restrained passion. A few shuffling steps had her pressed against the dresser; one of the handles dug into her back. Rey ignored it; for the first time since she woke up, she felt like everything was as it should be. She moaned softly as his lips slid along her jaw and down her throat; his beard would leave burns in its wake. Heat pooled in her belly once more, making her forget about all those minor aches. There was only one ache that mattered now.

"Poe…" She rolled her hips; she could feel him against her belly.

"I don't want to…hurt you," he whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth. "I just got you back."

"You won't." She kissed him. "I just got you back too. I missed you."

Poe leaned his forehead against hers. "I missed you so damn much, sweetheart."

"Take the bath with me. Please?"

Poe felt his resolve crumble under the weight of her gaze. "We've got this part of the house to ourselves for a couple of hours."

"Then we should hurry."

Poe did what any sane man would do in that moment: he scooped her up and carried her to the fresher. Rey giggled happily; she was starting to like it. It gave her the freedom to press kisses to his neck and collar as they closed the short distance. The room wasn't big; Poe shut the door firmly with one booted foot. The air was already filled with steam from the hot bath. Poe sat her gingerly on the edge of the sink.

"Hmm, this seems familiar somehow," he murmured, stepping between her spread legs. Rey smiled into his kiss; her hands started tugging on his shirt.

"Does it now?" Rey whispered, breaking their kiss long enough to get his shirt over his head. She bit her lip as she took in the broad expanse of his chest; her fingers slid over the golden skin.

He missed so much about her, her smile, her laugh, the green flecks in her eyes that shined when she was happy. In his lowest moments, he was convinced he'd never see those things again. Now she was here in his arms, her beautiful face alight with the sexy happy smile that only he got to see. Poe gently cupped her cheeks and covered her lips with his. She melted into him, his joy at their reunion hers as well.

Rey helped him get the borrowed shirt over her head; it fell to the floor. Her breathing hitched as his lips continued their sensual assault on her body, along her collar, down her sternum, sucking on her aching nipples. Her eyes fell closed as he worshiped her, paying special attention to each and every scrape and bruise. He was so gentle, careful not to cause her any more pain. She was surprised at the tears that stung her eyes; it was overwhelming the way that he loved her.

Poe glanced up, worried when he saw the tear slide down her cheek. "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No." To prove it, she drew him back to her for a less than chaste kiss. "I just…I, uh…you really love me."

He nodded. "More than anything in the galaxy."

"Anything? Even your X-wing?"

He grinned. "Yep."

"Beebee-Ate?"

"Don't tell him though."

"Your secret is safe with me." She combed her fingers through his curls. "I love you, too." She sighed as he kissed her again, long and slow, his calloused hands sliding over her body. She arched into him, desire building once more. Her hips jumped off the sink when he got to her sex, petting her slick folds. "Poe…"

"Softly, mi amor," he chided. "We don't want anyone to know what I'm doing to you. You're supposed to be resting."

She shot him a look. "I will rest…after," she breathed, trying to rock into his touch. "Need you now."

"As you wish." Poe got on his knees and spread her legs wide. Rey covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her cry of pleasure as he teased her with his tongue, long slow licks of her sex designed to drive her crazy. Her other hand gripped his hair, determined to keep in place. His rough beard scraped and scratched her delicate skin, sending shivers all over her body. She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning as he devoured her, his talented tongue sliding inside her as deep as he could. He tasted her like a man starved; she bucked and writhed against him, the pressure coiling ever tighter in her belly. She chanted his name softly, desperate to climax. He brought her right to the edge before sinking two thick digits inside her and curling his lips around her clit and sucking. Stars popped behind her eyes as she came _hard_; her keening cry reverberated off the walls of the small room. Random objects floated near her, only to crash as her lover brought her down from her high.

Poe pressed a gentle kiss to her inner thigh, wincing inside at the abrasions caused by his beard. "Still with me, sweetheart?"

Her body trembled, but she nodded. "Mmhmm."

Poe stood, pressing another kiss to her damp forehead. "That's my girl. Let's get you into the bath."

"You're coming too?"

"Of course." He ignored the discomfort in his pants; instead, he carried her to the tub. Rey sighed deeply as the warm water caressed her bruised and tender skin. She sank into her neck, pausing only long enough to pull her hair into a loose knot. She watched as Poe stripped off his pants and boots, frowning as his own bruises were revealed.

"You're hurt."

"Took a tumble when the floor gave way. It's fine." Poe followed her into the bath, settling in behind her. She relaxed into his arms, her back against his chest.

"We match now," she commented, tangling their fingers together.

"Bruises?" He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess we do."

Part of her wanted to heal him, but she knew he wouldn't allow it. "This is nice."

"Too bad we can't have this on the Falcon."

"Or the base."

Poe kissed her bare shoulder. "Is this something you'd want, Sunshine? In our place, whenever we get around to building it?"

She turned slightly to look at him. "Can we?" She previously thought showers were the height of luxury, but she was starting to rethink that.

"We can have anything you want."

"Then I definitely want one of these."

He smiled into her hair. He adored how things that other people took for granted made her so happy. This was the life he wanted. It was all worth it for moments like this. "You shall have it."

They were quiet for a little while, simply enjoying the moment. They'd had precious few moments like this, where no one was demanding their attention. "Poe?"

"Hmmm?"

"There's something I should tell you."

"Can you tell me tomorrow?" He felt bad for asking that of her, but he wasn't ready to dive into the aftermath of their wreck of a mission. She was here, awake, alert, and safe in his arms. That was all that mattered. He squeezed her waist lightly. "I'm sorry, Sunshine. I'm just…not ready for that yet."

She turned so she could see his face. He hadn't slept much in the last three days. Exhaustion was etched into his handsome features. Yet, his love for her shined. "Yeah, it can wait." She leaned in and kissed him, chastely at first, but her tongue swept along his bottom lip. Water splashed as she twisted around completely until she could straddle his thighs. Poe pulled her close, still kissing her; she could still taste herself on his tongue. Desire stirred once more, low in her belly. "Poe…kriff."

"Again?" he chuckled. She arched; he took one of her nipples between his lips. He lavished the taut pink bud with attention, encouraging her to grind against him. He was careful where he touched her; he only wanted her to feel pleasure.

Rey chewed on her lip as she rocked against him, his hardening cock sending waves of need through her. She curled her fist around him, pumping him firmly. Poe cursed, his hand tightening on the globe of her ass. "Rey…"

Rather than reply, she raised her hips and adjusted the angle. They'd done this enough times now that she knew what she wanted. The tip of him pressed against her entrance; she gasped as her body stretched to take him. "Poe," she breathed. "Oh _gods."_

"Does that hurt?" She felt incredible, but he didn't want to hurt her.

"No, it feels…_you_ feel good." She kissed him again, distracting him as she started to ride him. More water splashed over the sides of the tub, but neither payed any attention. All they could feel was each other; the heat of the bath, their separation, their love for each other all boiled over into an almost frenzied round of lovemaking. Poe slipped his hand between them, seeking her swollen nub. Rey gasped, tightening her grip on his shoulders, her hips surging harder, faster. Another orgasm washed over her, leaving her panting for breath and euphoric.

Poe gripped her hips with both hands, holding her steady as he jerked up to meet her, rutting into her until his own climax overwhelmed him. Her still fluttering walls milked him dry, taking every drop he gave her. Rey clung to his neck, aftershocks rolling through her.

"We made a mess," Poe laughed, breathless.

"Oops."

He kissed her temple. "I don't even care." He held her close until her breathing slowed, and her heart stopped pounding. "Now which one of us is being reckless, sweetheart?"

She smiled. "You were my partner is said recklessness," she pointed out. She didn't regret being with him, not for a second.

"As I will in future recklessness, future wife."

"I like the sound of that."

"Yeah?"

"Then I get to call you husband."

Poe swore his heart skipped a beat. "I definitely like the sound of that."

"Hearts will break all over the galaxy."

"I'm fine with that. I have the one that I want."

"Sure about that?"

He took her hand and placed it over his heart. "Tell me what you see."

"Poe…"

"Just this once. I trust you."

"I was just teasing, flyboy. I believe you." For a second, she swore she saw disappointment in his eyes. But it was gone so fast, she was sure she imagined it.

"Water's getting cold."

"Mmhmm."

"We should wash and get you back to bed."

"If you insist."

Twenty minutes later, they were washed and wrapped in fluffy towels. Poe insisted Rey rest; he could handle cleaning up. He slipped another one of his shirts over her head before returning to the fresher. Their clothes were wet from the bath water; he threw them and more wet towels into the wash. Hopefully, Kes wouldn't ask too many questions. Rey was dozing when he returned. "Go back to sleep," he murmured as she turned to curl into his side.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"For what, sweetheart?"

"Staying with me."

"There's nowhere else for me to be."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note: **We've officially made it to the "Disney's making up Force powers, so I can too" portion of our story. I hope you enjoy this update!

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Chapter 16**

"Rey! Rey, where are you?"

She heard Poe calling; he sounded slightly panicked. "Over here!" she hissed as loud as she dared.

Poe spun, scanning in the direction of the voice. At first, he frowned, unable to see her. He sensed she was nearby though. A few more steps revealed his fiancé tucked into a depression in the ground, mostly hidden by the heavy fallen trunk of an old tree. She waved him over, then she ducked out of sight. What was she up to? Why was she hiding? She was supposed to be resting!

He hurried in her direction, stooping to join her. "What's this, Sunshine?"

"Quick, get down," she hissed again, tugging on his arm.

"Why?"

"Because we're hiding."

"I gathered that." Her color was better than it had been just a few days ago; she was healing rapidly. He wondered if that was a Jedi thing, but he'd never asked. Still, she was supposed to be in bed and not in the fun way. "Why are we hiding?"

"Because it's a game of hide and seek, silly."

He suppressed a laugh. "Papa was wondering where the children had gone."

"Ranne and Yife found me while I was meditating," she said softly. "I couldn't say no." True to his word, Poe had allowed the Iktotchi children visit her the day after she woke up. She was thrilled to see them happy and thriving in Kes' care. Not that she ever had any doubts. Kes had raised Poe; Poe was one of the best people she knew. Today was the first day she'd been allowed to leave their room, per the doctor's instructions. Which Poe was following to the letter. Well, almost. If she didn't have that one thing, she might have gone completely mad.

Fortunately for her, they were unable to resist _that _particular temptation.

"Mediating under the Force tree?"

"Mmhmm."

"Did it help?"

She didn't get the chance to answer him; they heard footsteps nearby. Rey huddled deeper behind the tree; he copied her, wrapping his arms around her. It was a tight fit for the two of them, but they made it work. They both held their breath until the footsteps died away.

"You're sweaty," she murmured.

"Working in the east field," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. She smelled sweet, like koyo. "All it's done is remind me how much I dislike farming."

Rey smiled, leaning back against him. "I'm sure Kes appreciates the help."

"Oh, he does. But he's got plenty of droids for that." Honestly, Poe was helping in order to keep busy. He received updates from Naboo and Ajan Kloss, but everything paled in comparison to Rey's recovery. Even when he was helping his dad, he checked on her multiple times a day, just to be sure she was following Kalonia's orders. She was getting stir crazy, not that Poe blamed her. Still, she needed to take it easy. "How do you feel?"

"About the same as I did this morning," she replied, keeping her exasperation to a minimum. She knew he only asked because he loved her so much. She'd scared him with her bout of unconsciousness.

"Hip still sore?"

She nodded. "Yeah. But the bruise is getting better." The angle that the beam hit her from was fortuitous. It might have shattered her pelvis; instead, she escaped with a deep contusion. It hurt, like a dull ache, but it improved daily.

He kissed her temple. "Happy to hear it."

"You can examine me for yourself, flyboy. Later."

Poe smiled into her hair; since she was recovering, she wore it down and loose, the way he liked best. "Which dream shall we enact this time, sweetheart?"

Rey shivered as Poe's fingers toyed with the hem of her tunic. "Poe…" She wanted to regret his discovery of her erotic dreams, but she couldn't. Not when he confessed to the same thing. It was an accident, really. She'd been napping a couple of days ago when Poe came to check on her. According to Poe, she was muttering to herself and writhing in the bed. When she said his name, he woke her, a bit worried. She'd been mortified at first—he thought she'd been having a nightmare—so when he coaxed the truth out of her, she was surprised by his reaction.

That was the first time they broke Kalonia's orders since they'd bathed together. And it wasn't the last.

It was certainly exciting, but it was a bit worrying too. Rey wondered if it had something to do with the connection they shared. She certainly wasn't an expert, but some of their dreams were really specific. Like the one in the cockpit of the Falcon. They'd had almost the exact same fantasy, like they were influencing each other somehow. She'd tried researching in some of the texts Beaumont sent, but she'd had no luck. Without more tech, she couldn't go through the information in the Jedi holocrons they'd gotten on Coruscant, but there was no guarantee of answers there either.

The last thing she wanted was to break Poe's trust by getting inside his head accidentally.

Which was how she found herself meditating under the Force tree. She sought answers, but so far, she'd found none. Granted, she'd only been there for an hour or so before the children found her. Now she was playing hide and seek to entertain her new friends.

Poe kissed the spot just behind her ear. "I have one," he whispered. "Would you like to hear it?"

He wasn't playing fair! Rey turned enough, so she could silence him with a kiss. "Poe Dameron, there are _children_," she scolded softly. "Be good."

"Being good's overrated." He kissed her again; leaves and twigs crunched under them as she turned around completely and straddled his lap. Her face scrunched into a pained expression for a moment, but she didn't let it distract her. She cupped his scruffy cheeks (he'd shaved since she woke up, complaining the beard made him look far older than he was, which she thought both hilarious and cute), and fused her mouth to his. They kissed like they hadn't seen each other in days rather than hours. Poe fell back against the ground with a soft thump, tugging Rey with him. His touch was still gentle, exploring; Rey's heart squeezed.

"_Found you!"_

Rey and Poe both jumped, startled by the youngest of the children, Yife. She peered at them over the downed log, giggling. Poe stifled a frustrated groan; Rey burst into giggles. "Very good, Yife. Have you found your siblings yet?"

The little girl beamed. "They're over by the blue tree!"

"The Force tree? Well, we shouldn't keep them waiting then."

The moment the girl was out of earshot, Poe groaned. "Perhaps we should start looking for a spot to build our own house while we're here," he observed.

Rey kissed the tip of his nose. She was slightly embarrassed about getting caught—again—but the children were too cute. For that matter, so was her frustrated and annoyed fiancé. "You know, that's not a bad idea."

"Sunshine, I was joking." Well, half joking. There were a lot of people and aliens coming and going from the Dameron ranch; his bedroom was the only place that was completely private. And they'd won that privacy the hard way.

"But why? We're here, right? Unless we've deciphered Operation Python's location…"

"We're not going anywhere until you're healed," he said firmly. "Besides, we don't have much to go on." Finn and Jannah spent time at the nearby base, coordinating with Connix on Ajan Kloss to untangle the information in BB-8. They'd managed to get Rey's kill list to the people who needed to know about it; there wasn't much else they could do without a lead.

"Poe, if we get a lead, we have to follow it. Whether I'm healed or not."

He knew she was right, but it was a moot point until they found said lead. "We'll talk about it when—_if_—the time comes, Master Jedi. Until then, you are my number one priority."

"What about the Council?" Poe had a lot of responsibilities; he couldn't just put them on hold for her.

"Let me worry about the politicians. You just get better."

"I am better."

"Rey, we're not leaving until the doc clears you for duty. You promised."

She sighed. "I know." She didn't like it, but things were quiet. Too quiet. It was so easy to forget the rest of the galaxy here on Yavin. She knew that's why Poe chose to come here. They needed to rest and recharge; what better place for that than home?

The children were waiting. Rey got up first, holding out her hand to help Poe. He didn't let go once he was on his feet, choosing to draw her in for a kiss. "Think I can convince you to take a walk with me, Sunshine?"

"Don't you have work to do?"

"It can wait."

She smiled. After being cooped up for so long, she wasn't ready to return to bed. "A walk would be nice."

They walked hand in hand to the Force tree; all three children were waiting. Ranne seemed fascinated by the tree; she was examining a rough patch of bark that Rey had noticed the first time Poe brought her here. "What is it, Ranne?"

The little girl turned and frowned, but not at Rey. Her eyes were on Poe. "What did you do?"

"Me?"

"It says you hurt it."

Poe blinked. "Wait, the _tree_ told you?" He looked at where she was pointing; it was the exact spot he'd crashed into the Force tree when he was a child. His dad was furious, making sure Poe nursed the tree back to health all by himself.

Rey knelt beside Ranne and rested her hand next to the girl's. The vision flickered before her, a much younger Poe, all cute dimples and shaggy curls, tending the tree under Kes' watchful eye. If Ranne saw the same vision, then that meant…Rey's eyes flickered to Poe; he'd come to the same conclusion. Gently, Rey drew Ranne's hand away. "Can you tell me exactly what you saw, Ranne?"

They spent the next hour in front of the tree, the five of them. Poe kept the youngest entertained while Rey tried to get a gauge on Ranne's Force sensitivity as discreetly as she could. Anli seemed wary at first, maybe even a little jealous, once Rey promised that the children would stay together, he relaxed. Had the Force put Rey in their path? Was she meant to find them? She knew there were others like her out in the galaxy, but she hadn't expected to be thrust into the role of teacher and mentor so soon.

_Help may be found in many unexpected places._

Those were Master Qui Gon's words before he stepped back into his own time. Ezra. Had he taken the elder Jedi's advice? She very much hoped so. She couldn't do this alone. If he had, then he was out there somewhere in the galaxy. She just had to find him.

Great. Another mission that she didn't have time for.

* * *

"You've been quiet," Poe observed as they cut across the orchard. It was late now, but he'd promised her a walk. After the discovery of Ranne's potential for the Force, the quiet afternoon he'd had planned got turned upside down. It wasn't until after dinner that he managed to coax Rey into some time alone. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Another of Yavin's moons shined high in the sky, bathing everything in a silver glow. Rey glanced from it to Poe's face; he'd been far more patient than she expected. There was so much she still had to tell him. She hadn't found the right moment to go into the tale of the World between Worlds or how she'd gotten stuck there or who she'd seen. It all sounded so crazy and she'd experienced it herself. At least, she was pretty sure it had been real. She wouldn't know for sure until she found Ezra. If she found Ezra.

"Is it about Ranne?"

Rey looped her arm through his, broken twigs crunching under their feet. "A little."

"Yeah, I was surprised too."

"I remember what that felt like. To know there was something different about you, but not understanding what it is."

"Hey, she has you. So does Finn. And, you know, me. For some reason."

Rey smiled. "I don't know why you're so surprised. You grew up a stone's throw from a Force tree."

Poe had to admit she might have a point. "I guess, I just never thought about it. Then again, I didn't expect to fall head over heels for a Jedi either."

A flush warmed her cheeks. "Head over heels, huh?"

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You turned everything upside down, mi amor. And I wouldn't change a thing."

Rey leaned on him as they moved through the trees. She didn't need to; her hip was still sore, but she could walk. She just wanted to. Poe gave her the freedom to let her guard down and just _be_. "Where are we going?"

"There's a hill on the edge of my dad's property. It offers a pretty good view."

It was a beautiful night, tranquil and serene. The heat of the day had given way to cool air and clear skies. Rey could see millions of stars peeking through the treetops; it reminded her of the skies over Jakku. She lost track of how many nights she spent staring up at the stars and wondering what was out there.

"Probably should have brought a blanket," Poe apologized as they reached the base of the small hill. This was an excellent night for stargazing. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I don't mind." The hill wasn't steep; the trees thinned out as they neared the top. Rey looked out over the valley below; the nearby stream twinkled up at them. "It's beautiful."

"I used to come up here a lot. Especially after…"

"Your mom?"

"Yeah."

Rey squeezed his hand. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

They settled on the ground, Rey with her back against his chest. Poe pointed out some sights from his childhood and told stories. She loved listening to him; she was glad he had a better childhood than she had. At least until Shara passed. The Dameron home became less happy; gradually a rift opened between father and son. Neither spoke of it much, but Rey had seen some of it during her mediations by the Force tree. They were shattered in different ways by Shara's absence; it took many years for them to become the loving father and son she knew now. At least Poe had a father who loved him. Rey had lost hers so early in her life; it was a void that longed to be filled. She'd had Han and Luke in her life so briefly; she was beyond grateful that Kes welcomed her into his son's life.

"Poe?"

"Hmmm?" Poe carded his fingers through Rey's hair; it was soothing. He'd forgotten how peaceful this place could be. Sharing it with Rey only made it more special.

"Nevermind." She fiddled with the chain around her neck; the past and the future tied to that one object.

Poe smoothed his hands over her shoulders. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

She drew his hand to her lips. "I know." The trouble was she didn't know where to start. "Tell me again about our future, Poe."

"Which part?"

"Everything."

"You know that's something we decide on together, sweetheart. It can be whatever we want."

"Not necessarily. We both have responsibilities."

"We don't know how long the rebuilding will take," Poe pointed out. "And I don't want to be General Dameron forever. Hell, I never wanted to be a general in the first place."

She took his hand in hers. "You'll always be General Dameron now, Poe. But that's not a bad thing. You're doing a good job."

"Not as good as Leia." Poe sighed. "I try to ask myself what she would do, but it doesn't help much."

Rey turned so she could see his face. "Poe, no one is asking you to be Leia."

He barked a laugh. "Aren't they? Connix, Beph, even the kriffing Queen of Naboo expects me to know what to do now. I have no idea. I'm trying to coordinate things from here, but we're getting so spread out. And I've been so worried about you." He ran his fingers through his curls. "I'm so grateful for Finn. He's been picking up the slack. And he's damn good at it too." Poe wasn't too proud to admit that. He knew from the beginning he couldn't do any of this alone. He'd be lost with Finn and Rey.

"I'm sorry."

"What could you possibly be sorry for?"

"If I hadn't gotten hurt…"

Poe cupped her cheek, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. "Sunshine, _I'm_ the one who's sorry you got hurt. I should have been there with you. We're a team. Besides, nearly losing you drove home what's really important and what I really want."

"What's that?"

"Being the General, rebuilding the galaxy, they're important. But not as important as the life I want to build with you. I want to marry you, build that home with a tub that you want. I want to take you all over the galaxy and watch your face light up with excitement at each new planet. I want to watch you grow into the wise Jedi Master, with a gaggle of students trailing after you."

"What about you?"

He shrugged. "I haven't worked that part out yet."

"Don't you have any dreams?"

"I've got all of them right here. They all involve flying and you."

She laughed. "Figures."

"At least we have it in common, right?"

"Maybe you could have some _new_ dreams, General."

He smirked. "Well, now that you mention it…"

She swatted his chest. "That's not what I meant."

"Still, pretty handy."

"Like that stopped us before."

"True." He frowned at the look on her face. "Are you still worried about that? Our dreams?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe." She cradled his handsome face. "I don't ever want to hurt you."

Poe turned his head slightly, brushing his lips across her palm. "I know you won't. Besides, how do we know it's not the other way around? Maybe _I'm_ influencing _you._ Maybe I'm just a bad influence on the noble Jedi."

She giggled. The truth was, she never really gave the code much thought when it came to Poe. She couldn't imagine her life without his love. He was everything to her. "In that case, I'm a very willing participant." She leaned in and kissed him, relishing the feel of his lips on hers. No, she would never give this up.

Poe wound a lock of her hair around his finger. "If only there was someone we could talk to about it."

"Yeah." Rey rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. Unfortunately, they didn't know that many Force users. She missed Leia. Leia would know, Rey was sure of it. She was just wary after the dyad. She didn't want Poe to ever think she would use him the way Kylo Ren used her. Then she remembered. Leia wasn't the first Force sensitive person Rey had met! "Maz."

"Maz? What about her?"

"She's not a Jedi, but she knows about the Force. She's a thousand years old. If there's anyone left that might have some answers…"

Poe grinned, pleased by the hope that shined on her face. "Makes sense. And it dovetails with something I was thinking about."

"What's that?"

"Moving the main Resistance base here to Yavin."

Rey sat up; that seemed like a big step. Poe had initially been reluctant to open the old Rebel base. "Poe, are you sure?"

"It makes the most logistical sense. Ajan Kloss was only supposed to be temporary. This base's facilities are a little dated, but we can make it work." He smiled as he tucked some hair behind her ear. "Plus, if the Resistance is based out of here, we can start building that house." He really wanted to give her that home she craved so badly.

Rey's smile gleamed in the moonlight as she threw her arms around him. "Poe, that sounds too good to be true!"

"Believe it, Sunshine. I don't want to wait for all this to be over. That could take years. We've waited long enough to be happy."

A thought brought her up short. "Wait, does that mean…" She lifted the ring that hung around her neck, the question clear in her eyes.

Poe covered her hand with his and nodded. "Rey, I'd marry you right now if that's what you wanted."

"I thought you wanted to wait."

"Do you want to wait?" Poe hoped she couldn't tell how nervous he was; he'd been trying to surprise her. Kes had been making preparations since Poe spoke to him while they were still on Naboo.

She shook her head. "For so long you tried to take things slow…"

"Only because I didn't want to scare you." For too long he focused on their age difference, afraid that it would be too much for her and he'd lose her. But they'd been through a lot since that first fateful visit to Yavin; it had only made them stronger.

"If you lightspeed skipping my ship again didn't drive me off, nothing will," she replied, grin tugging at her lips. He'd told her about that the day after she woke up. At first, she'd been furious, but Chewie promised her that nothing was wrong with the ship. Her rebuilt hyperdrive had withstood the strain just fine.

"Hey! It was an emergency!" It was easy to laugh about now; Rey was warm and alive in his arms.

"Don't get used to sitting in that seat, General. The Falcon's mine."

"And you, Rey Skywalker, are mine." Rey giggled as he kissed her. This time they overbalanced; Rey fell onto her back with Poe looming over her. "Am I hurting you?"

"No."

"Good." Their lips met again in a slow languid dance that Rey loved. She loved _him_ and she couldn't wait to be his wife.

* * *

"General Dameron, have you thought this through?" Beph's hologram asked. "Surely, there are more suitable bases nearer the Core…"

"Being centered on the Core has caused far more problems than it's solved, Beph," Poe countered. This was the strangest meeting he'd ever had. He sat in his father's kitchen, surrounded by holos. Beph was there, of course. Reva from Naboo. Other representatives, whose names he didn't remember. And finally, Connix. His second in command had jumped at the chance to bring everyone to Yavin; Poe felt bad for putting so much responsibility on the young woman. She was highly competent, but that didn't make it right.

"I agree with General Dameron," Reva said. She was in her full Queen of Naboo regalia, but Poe still knew it was her and not a handmaiden. They'd held a private holo the day before, discussing the circumstances of Armas' death. It was officially labeled as suspicious, but they were no closer to cracking it. Poe knew there was more to it; he could feel it in his gut. "Has that not been our goal? To bring more representation to the outer reaches of our vast galaxy?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Beph conceded. "But would it not be beneficial to have our armed forces nearer their base of supply? No offense, General, but Yavin is a jungle with few cities or technology to speak of."

"True, but it's one of the most frequented stops for trade," Poe countered. "As long as there's a working spaceport, we can get the things we need. We can revisit this once the government is up and running. How's that coming, by the way?"

Poe sat back and listed to them drone on about his question. He actually did have a pretty good gasp of the situation, thanks to Reva. While the Resistance and the Council tried their best to keep the peace, representatives from most of the major systems were gathered in a secret location to try and hammer out a constitution. Once that was completed and ratified, they could hold elections. That could be years off. They needed to keep the peace and root out the remnants of the First Order. Especially Operation Python. The constitutional convention would be an ideal target for a group of secret assassins.

"General Dameron?"

"Yes?"

One of the Mon Calamari representatives spoke up. "We have heard rumblings that your General Finn has been seeking information on the stormtroopers' families."

"Yes, that's right." Poe braced himself for yet another debate on the merits of trusting their former enemies. Had there been some bad apples among them? Yes. But the majority of the ones who'd shaken off their brainwashing were turning out to be good soldiers, just like Finn or Jannah.

"We have located some encrypted files that may be useful in this endeavor."

Poe leaned forward. "Really? That would be much appreciated."

"I will have them sent at your earliest convenience, General."

"Thank you. I would much rather be in the business of reuniting families than destroying them."

"As would we all, General Dameron."

The meeting continued for a bit longer, but Poe's input wasn't necessary. Once it was over, he asked Connix to remain. "How's the move coming, Commander?"

"Blue Squadron is on their way to you as we speak," Connix confirmed. "The ground forces should be arriving in a couple of days."

"Good. How's our favorite space pirate?"

"Maz says she's doing you a favor. She also said to make it quick, because she's got somewhere to be."

"I'll bet she does." Few beings in the galaxy were as well connected as Maz Kanada. Now that the war was over, it was no wonder she wanted to get out and see some of her old haunts. "I really appreciate this, Commander. You're doing a fine job."

Connix tilted her head, unused to the praise. "Thank you, General."

"You'll be here by the end of the week?"

"If everything remains on schedule, yes, sir." They could have evacuated Ajan Kloss faster in case of an emergency, but since there was no emergency, they opted for a more measured approach. It also gave them time to open more of the old Rebel base and make it habitable. Rey was there right now, despite his protests. She still wasn't fully healed from Caedia, though he had to admit he was being overprotective. They still didn't know why she'd been unconscious for so long. It worried him. Kalonia assured him that all her tests were normal; Rey seemed fine otherwise. He just couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something.

"Everything okay?"

Poe flicked off his holo and looked at his dad. "Everything's fine. Or as fine as bickering politicians can make it."

Kes laughed. "Makes me glad I was a foot soldier. Didn't have to deal with all that nonsense."

"We have a real chance to get this right, Papa. I just hope they take it."

Kes laid a hand on his son's shoulder. "You're setting a good example, mijo. That's all you can do."

"Am I though?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everything we've done since Exegol has been a failure." They were no closer to a working government than they had been when Poe and Rey left for Naboo. They'd uncovered a secret group of assassins, but they hadn't found them either. Now Rey, the last hope of the Jedi, was hurt and recovering.

"There are three children playing outside that would disagree with you, mijo."

"It's not the same, Papa." Poe knew they'd done a good thing, rescuing the Iktotchi children. But that was _one _good deed in a galaxy that needed millions of them.

"Small victories, Poe," Kes reminded him. "Or have you forgotten?"

Poe smiled. Those memories had turned fond over the last decade. He no longer resented his dad getting him out of bed at ungodly hours to go out into the jungle. Those skills had helped him survive this long. "Thanks, Papa. I needed that."

"Any time, mojo."

His meeting finished, he headed outside. The heat was oppressive once again; sweat soaked his collar within minutes. He walked to the shed to borrow one of the speeders. He wanted to check on Rey. Most of her bruises were gone now; the last was the remains of the contusion on her hip. She'd been extraordinarily lucky.

Poe hopped aboard the speeder bike and flipped the switches. It was ancient, left over from the battle of Endor, but it still worked. Poe skimmed along the edge of the Dameron property until he got to the stream. By hugging the bank, he could catch a glimpse of the land he and Rey had chosen for their home. Poe still couldn't believe it was real. It was right across from his dad, close but not too close. It was also on the way to the base, which was a bonus. Poe hoped that they wouldn't need to be close to the base much longer, but Rey had talked about perhaps converting it into a Jedi temple of sorts once things were more stable.

All that could be years in the future. Like his dad said, small victories.

There was a flurry of activity when Poe pulled into the base. More Resistance ships arrived every day; the fleet had grown. If their numbers remained steady, they'd have to expand. Most of the base was below ground to avoid detection. That wasn't as much of a problem these days, thankfully.

"Poe! Over here!"

Poe eased the bike to a stop and hopped off. "Hey Finn! I have some news!"

Finn clapped Poe on the shoulder. "I do too. Look who's here!"

"_POE DAMERON!"_

Poe jumped at the booming voice; he'd never heard his name spoke so loudly. "Hey Maz."

The short alien waved from her perch on an A-wing. "It takes you three hours to come visit me? When I've been summoned?"

"I wouldn't say summoned," Poe countered. "More like a friendly visit."

Her huge goggles made it impossible to miss her eyeroll. "Where is your Jedi? I hear congratulations are in order!"

Poe glanced around; they still hadn't announced their engagement to everyone. Though, Poe mused, they might want to get a move on. "Um, yeah. Thanks, Maz."

Maz hopped nimbly down from the A-wing. "I had a feeling about you two," she said, more quietly this time. "It's about time you settled down."

Poe laughed. "I'm not sure I'd call life with a Jedi settling down."

"Which is why you are perfect for each other. Now, where is she?"

Poe knew where Rey was supposed to be; he led Maz down to the barracks. She promised to take things easy, but she wanted to help. Poe only half believed her. Rey did things her way; he knew better than to stop her. Maz trailed after him, quietly observing. Poe didn't reach for his comm or ask anyone; he seemed to just _know._ Maz suspected as much, just as she suspected why she'd been summoned. What was happening between the young Jedi and Poe was rare, not seen for centuries. Not since the Jedi prohibited all attachments.

Poe smiled to himself the moment he felt her presence. They turned a corner; he knocked on the edge of the doorway. "Rey?"

She was on the floor, tinkering with some of the door's wiring. She beamed when she saw him. "Hey."

"Look who I brought with me." He stepped into the room, allowing Maz to follow him.

"Maz!" Rey wiped her hands on her pants and stood, bending down to hug her friend. Since Leia's passing, Maz was the closest thing to a mentor she had.

Maz smiled. "Commander Connix said you were doing well, but I am glad to see for myself. We were all worried about you, child."

"It was a close call," Rey admitted. "But Poe found me."

"I'm sure he did."

Poe stepped over and kissed Rey's cheek. "I thought you were taking it easy," he teased.

"I am! See? Not lifting heavy things. I'm fixing wiring. Nothing strenuous about that."

"How's it coming?"

"We should have this area ready when Beaumont and the others arrive."

"That's good."

"How did the meeting go?"

"About as expected. Beph's not pleased."

"Reva?"

"She said she wouldn't miss it, since we got engaged on her planet."

Rey giggled. "We should probably start telling more people or this will be a very sparsely attended wedding."

"Wedding? So soon?" Maz asked.

Rey nodded. "This one has been planning it for weeks now without telling me."

Poe flushed. "Guilty, I'm afraid. All this has reminded me that nothing is guaranteed. There's no reason to wait when we know what we want."

Maz glanced from one to the other, her smile warm. Leia would be so pleased to find these two so happy. They talked about it when the princess yet lived, how she wanted her apprentice to be a new kind of Jedi and find happiness. Maz was pleased to see that both were true. The galaxy could use the kind of hope the couple represented.

Yes, they made a rather fine pair. It reminded her strongly of another, a scoundrel and a princess, who were very dear to her heart. _I know you're watching them, Leia. They will make you proud._

"Come on, let's find somewhere we can talk." Poe took Rey's hand in his and led them into the corridor. As he was still the general in charge of the Resistance, he'd been given the old command suite. Poe didn't see a reason to leave the ranch, but it was protocol. It did come in handy for meetings like this or if there was some emergency that would require his presence overnight. So far, none had. But it didn't hurt to be prepared.

"What seems to be the problem?" Maz asked, settling into the plush cushion of the scooped chair.

Rey shared a look with Poe. Now that Maz was here, it was a little embarrassing to talk about. Sharing her intimate thoughts and dreams with her future husband was one thing. Maz wasn't a stranger, but Rey didn't trust her the way she trusted Poe. He never judged her or made fun of her relative inexperience with things like this. He was only ever supportive and giving, willing to share this journey with her. She loved him so much for it.

Poe squeezed her hand. "Here, I'll start." He turned to Maz. "When we were on Coruscant, I, ah, had a Force vision."

Maz grinned. "I can't say I'm surprised, Poe Dameron. You've always lived a bit of a charmed life in that X-wing you fly."

"Did everyone know but me?"

"Having the Force isn't like turning on a tap. And it never manifests in beings the same way. Some people are like our young Jedi here. Others are like you and I. We all have a role to play. Your connection to the Force has kept you alive and gotten you to where you need to be."

Rey leaned forward. "Speaking of connections, Poe and I…"

"Are connected? Yes, child. I recognized it the moment I got here."

Rey frowned. "You did?"

"I can sense it. Strong and powerful, like the two of you."

Rey wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. Her connection to Kylo Ren was powerful too. "Maz…"

"Do you fear it? Or do you fear him?"

"Poe? No, of course not." She was afraid for him, sometimes. He could be reckless and stubborn, just like her. But she'd never been afraid of him.

"But you are afraid. You're reluctant to trust the bond between you."

Rey stood. "The last time I trusted blindly, I nearly got everyone I care about killed." Ben Solo coming back to the light didn't undo all the damage he'd caused through their dyad bond. It may have even saved her life, but it left her scarred.

Poe clenched his fists, angry on her behalf. He knew what—or rather, _who_—had made her like this. For one brief moment, he wished the Kylo Ren was still alive so Poe could punch him in the face for making Rey doubt her power or her instincts. They'd both suffered trauma at Ren's hands, but Poe _knew_ she would never hurt him. That wasn't who she was.

"When did the dreams start?"

Rey had walked several paces, needing some space, but she abruptly stopped. "What did you say?"

Maz appeared calm; she even had a mischievous smile on her lips. "Oh, I am glad I have lived to see this day! There is hope in the galaxy after all."

Poe leaned forward. "Wait, you lost me, Maz. How did you know about the dreams?"

"Let our dear Jedi sit down and I will tell you both a story." Rey stared at Maz for a long moment, but curiosity got the better of her. Maybe Maz did have the answers they sought. She moved to sit next to Poe; he kissed her temple and slipped his hand into hers. She squeezed gently, hoping he understood that her worry when it came to their bond had nothing to do with him. She didn't want a shade from their past tainting the love they'd found together.

Poe and Rey listened to Maz's story. Or rather, stories. She'd been alive for over a thousand years; she was certainly wise. But Poe had no idea how much history she knew. She weaved an almost incredulous tale from the days of the old Republic, long before Darth Sidious thought he had destroyed the Jedi. Jedi had not always been celibate monks? Some even had families? It sounded too good to be true.

"What changed?" Rey asked, staring in disbelief.

"That, I do not know," Maz conceded. "I think the Jedi elders were afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of the very thing the two of you have created. You see, unlike the dyad bond, which is born from the Cosmic Force, you entered into your bond willingly. It is the very essence of the Living Force."

"You mean, this has happened before?" Poe asked.

"It is rare and precious, young man, the bond between a Jedi and their chosen mate. Not seen for several millennia."

Rey blinked. "Mate?"

"Not really the word I would use either, Maz," Poe conceded, shaking his head. It made a certain kind of sense though. He'd been drawn to Rey from the moment he met her. His droid was the catalyst that brought her into his life. If he and BB-8 hadn't gone on that mission to Jakku, they wouldn't be here right now. The Force brought them together for a reason. They were—to use a cliché—meant to be together. Poe believed that. Everything led them here.

Rey looked down at their joined hands. Poe's was larger, calloused, and fit perfectly into hers. She recalled vividly, the very first time they met. They shook hands, both smiling, despite all the terror they'd just experienced. Part of her already felt like she knew him, based on BB-8's gushing about his master. Gushing that was warranted. Poe was kind and good and brave; Leia trusted him. So did Finn. He wasn't perfect, with a tendency to be reckless, especially when flying. He often led with his heart, but that only endeared him to her.

She chose this. She chose to love him. Just had he had chosen her.

"The word does not matter," Maz said quietly. "What matters is the bond you have created. It is precious. Don't allow it to wither or be corrupted by darkness."

"Can we break it?"

Poe blinked. "Break it? Why would we want to do that?"

"You heard Maz, Poe. It can be corrupted! I don't want to hurt you."

"That's not going to happen, sweetheart."

"You don't know that! We don't know the future!" She stood, needing some space between them. Didn't he know she was trying to protect him? Every time she caught a glimpse of the future, she looked away. She didn't want to know. Waiting for something that may never happen was the story of her childhood.

"Maybe not, but we would know what it could be if you just _let me_!" he cried. He closed the gap, resting his hands on her shoulders. "I keep asking you to look in my head and you always refuse." She swallowed; Poe rubbed her arms gently. "I know you're scared, and you're worried about hurting me, but I trust you, Sunshine. The only way to corrupt what we have is to not trust each other."

Maz rose. "Poe is right. The dreams are byproduct of the strength of you bond. They are not evil. They are an expression of the love you share. That love can only thrive on trust, not fear."

A tear slid down her cheek; Poe gently brushed it away with his thumb. She did trust Poe. She trusted him with her life and her heart. It was herself that she wasn't sure she trusted. What if she touched his mind and it awakened the trauma he suffered? He still dreamed of his torture, nightmares from which he'd wake in a cold sweat, his body trembling. She would hold him, carding her fingers through his hair until he drifted back to sleep. It happened less lately, but it would never be gone for good.

"You're my Sunshine," he reminded her softly. "We can do this. Together."

Rey hugged him tightly, touched deeply by his faith in her. Maz slipped quietly from the room, leaving the lovers to sort things out. She knew they would be fine. The girl just needed to trust herself.

Poe coaxed them back to the couch. Rey laid her head on his shoulder, thinking over everything Maz had said. She desperately wanted to believe it. She was curious to see herself as Poe saw her. She didn't want their life together to be marred by something like this. If he trusted her, then she needed to trust him. She needed to tell him what really happened while she was unconscious.

"Poe?"

"Yeah?"

"There is something I need to tell you."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like it?"

"It's not bad. At least, I don't think so. I just don't know if you'll believe me. It hardly believe it myself."

"Why don't you try me?"

She sat up, turning so she could take his hands in hers. "You know how I was unconscious? And no one seems to know why?" Poe nodded, dread settling in his stomach. The memory of her lying in his bed, broken and far way stayed with him. It would for a while. "I think I do. I was trapped."

Poe frowned. "I don't understand."

Slowly, she told the story. The Sith temple, the explosion. She recounted how everything was black until she heard Poe calling for her, begging her to wake up. His grip on her hand tightened; she soothed him with her thumbs sliding steadily across his knuckles. When she got to the World between Worlds, she hesitated. Qui Gon said it didn't exist in time or space; what if it was all in her head?

"It's okay, sweetheart. You can tell me."

"There was a place, a room with portals in time. And I wasn't alone. I met someone, another Jedi."

"But I thought you were the only one?"

"This Jedi disappeared many years ago. Poe, it was Ezra Bridger. He was on the Ghost with Hera and Kanan. He was Kanan's apprentice."

Poe's jaw dropped. "But he disappeared almost forty years ago!"

"Ezra's not the only one I saw." She talked about Master Qui Gon and his counsel. He too thought she dwelled too much on her mistakes. That such intense introspection would keep her from her future. A future she desperately wanted. One filled with love and family and adventure. There was only one person she wanted to share that with.

"I know it sounds crazy…"

Poe smiled. "Rey, after the things I've seen you do, do you think I would doubt your word?"

"But Poe…"

"No buts. You saw what you saw." He grinned. "Though, again, with the older men, Sunshine."

She laughed. "You're terrible."

"Maybe I should grow the beard back after all."

"I wouldn't complain."

His eyes lit up. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Though I like this too," she said, drawing her fingertips across his sharp jawline. Her eyes flickered over his face. He was so beautiful; it made her heart ache. "This is the Poe I fell in love with."

He captured her wrist and drew her fingers to his lips. He kissed each fingertip reverently; his brown eyes locked with hers. His lips moved lower, across her palms, her wrists, her knuckles. Each kiss sent sparks across her skin, until her whole body was humming. Rey moved first, climbing into his lap. Poe groaned into her kiss, catching her before she could tip over. She hid nothing from him as she plied him with soulful kisses; he could feel her yearning, her fear, her love.

He knew without a doubt that they could be spectacular together; he just needed her to believe it too.

"Rey," he breathed, gently tugging her back. She pouted (which was absurdly cute), but she heeded him. Once he was sure he had her attention, he spoke. "I know you you're scared. This has been a lot, for both of us. And yeah, maybe the future is uncertain. When you were unconscious, I was so afraid that you'd never wake up. That we'd never get to have the life we deserve. Now I know you were stuck somewhere I couldn't reach. That scares me even more."

"All I wanted was to get back to you," she confided. "I'm sorry it took me so long to figure out how."

"Don't be. It sounds like that was something you needed. Rey, I only ever want your happiness. Even if you decided tomorrow that it's not with me."

"Of course I want you!" she cried, hurt. "Didn't you hear Maz? We have this bond because I _chose_ you. And I'm going to keep on choosing you, Poe Dameron. Every day."

He smiled. "There's my girl."

She huffed. "Don't ever scare me like that again!"

He hugged her close. "And that's my point, sweetheart. We _could _make different choices. We've chosen this path, together. You asked me the other say how I see our future. Look and see, Rey. I trust you."

Her heart stuttered; the love and trust in his eyes staggered her. "Poe…" She bit her lip; he seemed in earnest. He was willing to open up to her, to essentially lay himself bare before her in a way he never had before. Even after all he'd suffered. A watery smile touched her lips; she loved him so much. "Okay."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Just stay still. And if it's uncomfortable at any point, tell me to stop, okay?" He nodded solemnly. She remembered the day she showed him her aura, the look of awe on his face. She hoped he still looked at her like that when she was finished. "Close your eyes." He obeyed. Rey held her hand out, her fingertips centimeters from his head. She felt his presence in the Force, bright and strong. She wasn't entirely sure how to do this, so she followed her instincts. She cradled his face in her hands and probed gently with her mind. She remembered how it felt when Kylo tortured her, the brute force with which he unlocked her mind. Rey tapped lightly with the Force, requesting entrance, almost like a door. They both felt it when entrance was granted; their gasps filled with surprise.

"Do you feel that?"

"Yeah," Poe replied. "Feels like sunshine soaking into my skin."

"Good?" When he nodded, she stepped in further. Emotions not her own washed over her all at once, more strongly than ever before. The connection shook, the force of what he felt for her almost too much.

"I'm sorry," Poe whispered.

"No, no. It's…Force, Poe, it's _beautiful."_

"You're beautiful," he replied, his lips brushing her palm once more. This was nothing like Kylo Ren. Her touch was loving and careful, warm and tender. "Love you."

Another tear slid down her cheek, but this one was happy. Once she reigned in the pure emotion, she saw images. Some were of the past, the beginnings of a life shared together. She saw them in the throne room, Poe confessing his love for her. She saw them huddled together after a nightmare, soothing each other with words and kisses. A building rose before her—their _home_—Poe welcoming her back with a smile and a kiss. She saw him watching fondly as she stood before a group of padawans, instructing them in lightsaber technique. She saw herself, chasing someone with an exasperated smile on her face. A child ran into Poe's outstretched arms, a child with dark curls and hazel eyes. _Their child. _She was crying in earnest now.

One more image flickered to life, Poe standing at a podium, impeccably dressed in a new uniform. Below him stood Rey in her own version of Jedi robes, the silver ring no longer around her neck. It was on her finger, shining in the sunlight. Poe smiled at her before addressing the crowd; pride swelled her in chest.

Rey broke the connection more abruptly than she intended. "Sorry, sorry," she apologized, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "Poe, I am so sorry."

He hugged her to his chest, tears on his own cheeks. "You didn't do anything wrong, sweetheart," he promised, rubbing her back.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I promise." He still felt the echo of her, but it was warmth and love, not hate. He'd never felt closer to another person; that last image stayed with him. It wasn't his. It was hers. "That was a pretty fancy uniform, Sunshine."

She raised her head, confused. "Wait, what?"

"I think you might have shown me one of yours by accident."

"Oh." She thought about it; all the others were from his perspective, except that one. Those were her feelings. Her love and pride in the man she married. "I didn't even realize…"

"Shh, it's okay. I liked it. Though I think I liked this most of all." He lifted the chain from her neck and carefully removed the ring. Rey realized belatedly that he'd never done that; her heart pounded and her hand trembled as he slid the ring on to her left hand. The old washer fit her perfectly. "Exactly where it should be."

She stared at her hand, her cheeks still wet with tears. He still wanted to marry her. He still loved her. She'd _felt_ it in a way that shook her to her core. She'd never experienced anything like that. So much had changed in her life; she'd gone from the lost girl on Jakku, waiting for a family, to the last Jedi, custodian of a thousand generations. Yet all that paled in comparison to the family that she'd found. Finn, Rose, Chewie. Those she'd lost too soon, like Han, Luke and Leia. Most importantly of all, Poe. He'd handed his heart to her, trusting that she would keep it safe.

He gave her so much; all she could offer him was her heart in return. Her heart and lifetime of love and family and adventure.

Poe curled his fingers around hers, guiding them to his lips. He pressed a kiss to the metal that encircled her finger; another tear slid down her cheek. "Don't cry," he whispered.

She didn't know how to put what she was feeling into words. "I don't have anything for you," she said, running her fingers down his throat. She'd gotten so used to the silver chain around his neck; it seemed wrong that he didn't have some token of hers.

"I don't need anything, sweetheart. Being married to you is enough."

"But we're not yet."

"I don't think we need the formal ceremony after that, do you?" That was the most intimate thing he'd ever experienced; he thought he saw now what Maz had meant about the connection between them. It was terrifying and incredible all at once.

Rey thought he was serious for a minute, but he couldn't keep a straight face. His eyes crinkled adorably as he smiled. "Kes would kill you if we deprived him of that."

"True." He gently brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Of course, we'll have it. But it kinda feels like we already are. Married, I mean." He titled his head, his dark eyes thoughtful. "Did any of that…scare you?" He was especially worried about that last vision; it was unlikely that Rey's position on kids had changed since the last time they spoke of it.

She shook her head. "It's a beautiful life, Poe."

"It's just a vision," he reminded her. "Nothing's set in stone. I just need you."

Suddenly, his meaning was clear. "He was perfect," she replied, a smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe in a few years?" She still felt a bit young to be a mother.

Poe's face lit up. "I'm good with that. I know I'd like you all to myself for a while." They'd gone from friends to lovers to the cusp of marriage in a matter of weeks; they could wait to expand their family, if that's what Rey wanted. He'd give her anything she wanted.

Rey smiled. "Me too." She couldn't resist his lips; a sound caught in his throat as she pressed hers firmly to his. He tangled one hand in her loose tresses and curled the other around her hip. She didn't seem to be in any rush, enjoying the gentle, loving way their mouths met and pulled apart, then met again. She was so soft in his arms; he tried to freeze this moment in his memory.

Rey hummed as his lips slowly moved to her jaw, her throat. She cupped the back of his head, her ring standing out against his dark hair. Emotions threated to overwhelm her again; she sucked in a ragged breath. "Make love to me, Poe. Please."

Poe raised his head, the emotions in her eyes making his heart squeeze. "You're sure?"

She nodded. "Yes."

She was already in his lap; it wasn't difficult to hold her against his chest in order to get them to the bed in the next room. The bed was nicer than anything they had on Ajan Kloss or the Falcon, not that either of them took much notice of it. Poe laid her out in the center, making her wait while he tugged off their boots, as well as her belt. She pounced on him the moment he joined her, kissing him thoroughly. Slowly, methodically, clothes were peeled away; lips caressed the skin exposed. Rey, in particular, took her time, her fingers and lips tracing old scars on his body. His bruises from Caedia were faded now, the yellow disappearing against the bronze of his skin. Rey seemed to know where each of them were anyway, each touch loving and arousing at the same time.

"Get up here," he growled, tugging gently on her hair.

Rey hastened to obey him, only to be caught off guard when he had her straddle his head. She braced her hands on the headboard of the bed, not bothering to conceal her moan of pleasure as he lapped at her sex. Maz had said their dreams were a byproduct of their love, implying that it was okay to embrace the feelings and desire they inspired. Poe's calloused hands were rough on her skin, molding to her curves, holding her against his greedy mouth.

"Don't stop," she begged, rocking against his face. His scruff abraded the tender skin of her inner thighs; it only made her burn hotter for him. "Poe, _please."_

He wished he could see the picture she made, riding his face like this. He was painfully hard, desperate to be inside her, but he couldn't stop tasting her. He brought her to the brink multiple times, pleased by her frustrated cries every time he backed off.

"Poe," she whined. "Kriff, I _need_…"

"Show me," he said.

Rey felt like she was hanging on the edge of a precipice; her body felt heavy with desire and need. Still, she moved, crawling down the bed until she was astride her lover's hips. Poe groaned as she ground against him shamelessly, coating his cock in her arousal. She tugged him up to meet her; their lips met in another hungry kiss. Rey tasted herself on his tongue, but it only fueled her need for him.

She was making him crazy, her soft lithe body grinding against his. He touched her everywhere, entranced by her pale skin. It was only marred by the lingering bruise on her hip; he touched it gingerly as she rolled her hips. "You are so beautiful," he murmured, kissing her.

Rey wet her lips. "Do you trust me?"

"Always, sweetheart."

Rey bit her lip as she moved again; this time she canted her hips to just the right angle. Poe grunted as she sank down on him, taking him completely. A sense of calm washed over her; their joining was her favorite thing. She cupped his cheeks and kissed him again, long and slow, keeping him inside her with little swirls of her hips. Poe held her like she was precious, his hands sliding up her back and into her hair. It was easy to lose track of things like time as they moved together. Rey leaned her forehead against his, still rocking steadily, and focused on what he meant to her. He'd given her a precious gift; she wanted to return it.

The sensation of her body enveloping his was so intense that he nearly missed the flicker at the back of his mind. Poe gasped, joy, happiness and love flooding his very being. It was Rey. Was this how she felt? He'd sensed feelings that weren't his own before, but it had been nothing like this. Those were echoes, faint reflections of the real thing.

"My Sunshine," he murmured, kissing her. It broke the connection, but he didn't care. He adored her with everything that he had; he'd waited so long for her.

Rey smiled into his kisses, pleased that he understood. If he felt even a fraction of what she'd felt from him earlier, then she'd done what she'd set out to do. No matter where their lives took them, she needed him to know how truly loved he was.

Poe wrapped on arm around her hip and flipped them over. Rey let out a breathless giggle, dragging his lips back to hers. Somehow, they remained joined, Poe stealing her breath with every desperate thrust of his hips. Rey arched as he hit just the right spot, her climax deep and satisfying. Poe followed her quickly, her name on his lips. She made no protest when he collapsed on top of her, spent. The afternoon had been intense for them both; Rey was content to hold him.

Poe rolled them onto their sides, eventually, his lips skimming her damp brow. "That was…"

She snuggled into his chest. "Mmhmm."

"Do you, ah, do that on purpose?"

"I didn't know if it would work."

"Trust me, it did." He wrapped his arms around her, needing to be close to her. Fortunately, Rey loved to cuddle.

"Was that…okay? I should have asked first…"

"Is that really how you feel?" She nodded. "Then that was perfect." He kissed the spot at her hairline that had been bloody just days ago. "Words kinda feel inadequate after that."

She smiled, understanding him completely. "Still nice to hear though."

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

Poe had to let her go so she could use the fresher; he had the blankets turned down when she came back. Rey huddled under the covers with him, her head on his chest. "So…mates, huh?"

Rey wrinkled her nose. "I thought we didn't like that word."

"A bit old fashioned, maybe. We're a lot of things, mi amor. But that connection is a doozy."

"You don't mind? Being connected like that? Even after…"

"If I did, I wouldn't have given you this," he replied, toying with the ring on her finger. "I almost don't want to take it off. Looks good there."

Rey smiled. "It does." She leaned up and kissed him. "Guess it's a good thing we're doing it soon then, huh?"

"Are you ready to be the wife of a general of a bunch of misfits?"

"Are you ready to be the husband of a Jedi?"

"Sunshine, I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for this." There was so much that still needed to be done. He just wanted to squeeze in one moment for themselves. They'd earned it.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note: **Happy May the Fourth! It is kinda fun that this update is getting posted today of all days. I've had this chapter in mind since the story began, I hope everyone likes it! I had a blast writing it! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Le sigh.

**Chapter 17**

"Rey!"

Rey looked up from the panel she was soldering, smiling at her friend's voice. "Rose! You're finally here!" She pushed herself up, getting to her feet just as Rose came around the corner. The two friends hugged, ignoring the grease that clung to Rey's fingertips.

"How _are_ you?" Rose demanded, stepping back to get a good look. She'd been worried when Finn told her that Rey had been hurt badly during the mission to Caedia. Worry that had turned to frustration, because she couldn't just drop everything to meet them on Yavin. They'd spoken over the holo several times since Rey woke up, but Rose wanted to see for herself.

"Good," Rey replied. "Really good actually." Her hip contusion was nearly healed; it no longer hurt when she bent at the waist. There was some lingering discoloration, but Kalonia assured her that was normal. In fact, Kalonia was surprised at how quickly Rey healed; it had been just over two weeks since her accident.

"You had us all worried for a while."

"I know. But Kalonia says I'm on track. Not that Poe will listen."

"He's just worried about you."

Rey bit her tongue; she knew Rose was right. She was upset with herself; her choices probably cost them their only lead on Operation Python. She knew they were still out there, somewhere in the galaxy, planning their next move to destabilize the fledgling government. If they'd caught them on Caedia, this would all be over. She tried not to let the lingering guilt get to her; she didn't want to think about that. This was a happy time.

The wedding was two days away. Almost all the Resistance forces from Ajan Kloss were on Yavin now; Rose and her staff of mechanics were among the last to arrive. She and Poe wanted all their loved ones there; there wasn't a question about waiting for Rose and the droids. Reva was due to arrive from Naboo at any time. The Dameron ranch was a hive of activity, people and aliens everywhere. Some were tending the fields; others prepped the area around the Force tree for the ceremony. Kes had built them a beautiful arbor; Beaumont and some of his friends offered to put it up. Kitchens at the base and ranch were prepping food for the reception afterward.

Everyone wanted to make it a celebration.

It wasn't that Rey _didn't_. It was more that she disliked being the center of attention. She'd have been content with a small ceremony in front of the Force tree, but fate had other plans. The galaxy had had precious little to celebrate these last few years; she could handle one day.

"Is that it?" Rose asked, drawing Rey from her thoughts.

"What's what?"

"This." Rose reached out and cradled the ring in her palm. It hung from Rey's neck once again, though that felt _wrong._ If she thought about it too much, she could still feel it on her finger. It was silly, but it was how she felt. She and Poe were committed to one another on a level that few beings ever could be; a wedding felt a bit superfluous. But, as she'd said to Poe, their loved ones would not be happy if they missed out on such an important moment. The wedding was more for them than Rey and Poe.

"It was his mother's," Rey said quietly. It was simple, plain even, but for Rey, it was precious. She hoped that wherever Shara Bey was, she was happy for them. "Poe's carried it with him since she died."

Rose smiled. "That's so romantic."

Rey blushed. "It is. I think I'd like to give him something too." Sooner or later, there would be a mission that would separate them again. She wanted him to have something special of hers to keep with him. Unfortunately, she didn't have much in the way of possessions. She certainly had nothing with as much sentimental value as Shara's ring. She had a kernel of an idea, but she was unsure.

"Rey, that's a great idea!" Rose said, enthusiastic. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well," she reached into a pouch on her belt and extracted a small crystal, "I have this." It was a smaller sliver of the same crystal that resided in her lightsaber. Yellow, like sunshine. Since that was Poe's first nickname for her, she thought he would like it.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Rey nodded. "A kyber crystal. Or a piece of a larger one. The one that's in my saber."

"May I?"

"Sure." Rey dropped the crystal into her friend's hand. Rose examined it carefully, clearly in awe. She'd never seen a kyber crystal up close. She knew they powered a Jedi's weapon and had been used in the Death Stars. She'd always wanted to study them.

"I think it's perfect."

"Really?"

"Yeah! We could fashion a setting for it, then put it on a chain. Maybe swap out your ring even."

Why hadn't she thought of that? Rey grinned. "Rose, you are a _genius."_

"Poe's gonna love it. Now, do I get to see this dress or what?"

Rey took the crystal back and slipped it back into its pouch. She'd been out on the Falcon to get away from all the wedding insanity, but she wanted Rose's opinion on what she'd chosen. Rey couldn't even recall the last time she'd worn a dress. She thought perhaps her mother must have put her in dresses when Rey was very young, but she didn't remember it. Climbing abandoned wrecks on Jakku made anything other than trousers impossible. Rey was completely out of her element. She wanted to look nice for their wedding.

They were only going to have one.

Rose followed Rey down the gangway of the Falcon, waving to Chewie as they passed. Rose had never been to Yavin; she'd been unprepared for the heat and humidity. "You and Poe want to live here?" she asked as they walked toward the house.

Rey nodded. "We picked out some land to build our house a few days ago. Across the stream from here. It's…peaceful."

"So close to Kes?"

"It's not _that _close. Kes has been very welcoming, but I think he's ready for us to have a place of our own." Rey tried not to flush too much as she said that. Between Kes and the children, she and Poe had been forced to get creative. Everyone now knew better than to just barge into Poe's bedroom if the door was closed, but it wasn't like the walls were soundproof. Poe had offered to move them into their suite at the base, but Kes wouldn't hear of that either. At least not until after the wedding.

"What's wrong with the base?"

"Nothing. It's just not…home." Rey could be at home wherever Poe was, but she liked the idea of having something that was _theirs._ The home Poe showed her in his vision was simple but beautiful, with a variety of flowers and view of the Force tree from across the stream. Rey loved it and they hadn't even built it yet.

"From what Finn says, you two already act like newlyweds, so I'm not surprised," Rose said slyly.

Rey did flush red at that. "Force, is it that obvious?"

Rose giggled. "I think it's sweet. You both deserve some happiness. Even if half the Resistance is heartbroken that its most eligible bachelor is off the market."

"Eligible what now?" a new voice said.

Rey and Rose turned to find Poe walking down to the porch. "Hey," Rey said, drinking him in. He looked like he'd just gotten back from the base; his dark curls windblown and his pants spattered with mud. He shot her a heart stopping grin; she felt her belly flip flop. Would there ever be a day he didn't affect her so? She hoped not.

"Hey Sunshine." He stepped up and kissed her cheek while slipping his arm around her waist. "Rose."

"You two are so cute!" Rose gushed. She was beyond happy for them; this was what they'd fought so hard for. What Paige had died for. Rose missed her sister terribly, but Rey was like a sister to her too.

"Now what were you saying? I missed it."

"It's nothing," Rey said before Rose could speak.

Poe grinned. "Well now, I have to know."

Rose giggled. "I was just telling Rey how she's broken the hearts of half of the Resistance by claiming its most eligible bachelor."

It was Poe's turn to blush, which made Rey smile. "What can I say? When you know, you know." Poe knew the moment Rey walked into his life that it would never be the same. She had that effect on people.

"Everything okay?" Rey asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah. I just wanted to check in with you and Papa before Reva gets here." Their special guest would be staying at the base; in fact, the night of the wedding, everyone was. Well, almost everyone. For the first time, Poe and Rey would have the ranch house completely to themselves. Poe was trying not to be too excited about it. He was sure he was failing.

"Rey was about to show me her dress."

"You mean the dress I'm not allowed to see?"

"You heard Kes," Rey countered. "It's bad luck."

"I thought there was no such thing," he teased, smirking.

Rey gave him a little shove. "Shut up." Poe surprised her by pulling her in for a kiss, ignoring Rose's presence completely. He kissed her until she was weak in the knees, leaving her breathless.

"Who needs luck when I have you?" he murmured.

Rose discreetly turned her attention to the activity in the yard, giving them a moment or two. Poe and Rey had the kind of love she'd dreamed about as a little girl, before her family had been uprooted and destroyed. It was heartwarming, but it made her a little wistful too. There was a time when she thought Finn might be the one for her, but they were simply good friends. She wasn't upset about it. It had been a bit awkward at first when he told her about Jannah, but Rose knew that their time had passed. As long as she could count him among her friends, then she was happy.

After a couple of minutes, Rose cleared her throat. Rey untangled herself, but she kept Poe's hand in hers. "See you at dinner?" she said to her fiancé.

He grinned. "Yeah. You ladies have fun." He kissed Rey's cheek one last time before he let go. He felt Rey watched him leave; he chuckled to himself. That heady feeling of being with her wasn't going away any time soon.

"I've known Poe a long time," Rose said as the ladies entered the house. "I've never seen him like that."

"Like what?"

"So…besotted. After everything that's happened, it's good."

Rey led them into the spare bedroom. Ranne and Yife were sharing it; Anli had moved to the couch when they arrived on Yavin. The girls were guarding Rey's dress from prying eyes; at least, they liked to think they were. "I know this is all coming together fast…"

"Rey, do you think I'm going to lecture you or something?" Rose said, hands on her hips. "Because that's ridiculous. It's not like you and Poe just met; you've been friends for over a year now. And after watching you fight all those months, I'm surprised it took you two this long to figure things out."

"Yeah?"

"You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"No! No, definitely not." Rey chewed on her lip, debating how much to tell her friend. Would Rose think the Force connection was strange? There was only one way to find out. So, she told her. All of it. Well, most of it. She left the most intimate parts out, but Rose got the idea.

"Wow," Rose said softly. "That's, um, _wow, _Rey."

"Yeah."

"How's Poe taking all this?"

"He was a bit freaked out at first, especially with the visions. But the moment I suggested severing the bond, he protested. It's not him I don't trust, Rose. It's me. I'm supposed to be the Jedi, but so far, my instincts have led us astray."

"Or, maybe, they've led you down the exact right path," Rose observed. "Nothing happens in a straight line, Rey. If it did, our lives would be boring. Think of it like this. Sometimes, when you're working on the Falcon, you don't have the right part. So, you try different combinations, until you get to the right one."

"But, Rose, there are lives at stake."

"You can't be everywhere at once. As much as we want to, we can't save everyone. You are one person. I know it must feel like the weight of the galaxy is on your shoulders. But that's why you have me. And Finn and Chewie. As well as that dashing pilot that wants to marry you. You're allowed to be happy, Rey. You're allowed to take _one moment_ for yourself and just be happy."

Rey smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Rose. I needed that."

"Happy to help. Now, let's see this dress."

* * *

"Tell me again why I agreed to this?" Poe groused. He leaned back in the chair, combing his fingers through his hair.

Kes smiled knowingly at his son. "Because this is your last night as a bachelor, mijo. You should spend it with friends."

Poe rolled his eyes. "I don't see Karé, Jess or Suralinda here. They're my friends."

Finn laughed. "Come on, Poe. It's not that bad. One night isn't going to kill you."

Poe huffed at his friend. "Don't give me that, Finn. You'd rather hang out with Jannah. I know you."

Finn glanced away, clearly caught. "Let's play another round."

Poe sighed, but he didn't argue. He didn't know where this tradition came from, but he was not a fan of it. According to Kes, it was an ancient human tradition, going further back than the first colonies. Just like not seeing the bride's dress prior to the wedding. Those traditions felt archaic to Poe. Why would he want to spend the night away from his incredible bride to be and hang out with these guys? Not that he didn't love Kes, Finn, Chewie, Beaumont and the others, but they weren't Rey.

Missing her was a dull ache in his chest, one that not even alcohol could ease.

He missed Snap. His friend should be here for this. Snap wouldn't let him nurse his drink and wallow. Snap would lead them all in drunken singing and even worse dancing. He'd tell the tallest tales, especially about all those times he'd saved the best pilot in the Resistance's ass. That made Poe smile. Yes, no one would be happier for Poe than Snap. _Thanks for everything, buddy, _Poe thought, silently toasting his missing friend. _Wouldn't have made it without you._

The evening wore on. After a couple of hours, Poe finally let himself relax and enjoy this time with his friends. He hoped Rey was doing the same back at the ranch with Rose, Jannah, Jess, Karé and Kaydel. Poe could only imagine what they were getting up to; they'd turned the comms off. Finn had gone so far as to take Poe's away, so he wouldn't be tempted to send a message. "You've got the rest of your lives for that," Finn had said.

In less than a standard day, Poe would be married. To a Jedi no less. How the hell had that happened?

"You hanging in there?" Beaumont asked, taking a sip of his ale. Poe wrinkled his nose; beer wasn't his thing. He could stomach it if he had to, but he preferred mixed drinks.

"I'm not nervous, if that's what you're asking."

"Never said you were."

"I'd just rather be somewhere else."

Beaumont grinned. "You're a lucky man, Poe."

"Don't I know it." He wondered if he would ever feel truly worthy of her. They had this rare and powerful connection in the Force, but this was different. He remembered the way Rey saw him in her vision; he didn't feel like that man. Poe was muddling through this morass as best he could; he had no idea how things would turn out. Would all the suffering and death be for nothing? Could they build something that would last? Rey was the only thing he was certain about. He'd do whatever it took to make her happy.

"Poe! Over here!"

Poe and Beaumont returned to the group; Finn had a box tucked under his arm. "What's all this?"

"We got a gift for you," Finn said.

"You guys didn't have to do that."

"It was Finn's idea," Beaumont said, nodding at the package. "Your dad and I designed it."

Poe frowned. What could it be? "I didn't need anything, but thanks. I think."

"You think?"

"Depends on what it is," Poe joked. "You gonna let me open it?" Finn grinned and handed him the box. Poe laid it down on the small table and raised the lid. The gift was wrapped in tissue; Poe peeled the layers back, a bit wary. With this crowd, there was no telling what it could be. They might just be playing a prank on him.

His jaw dropped.

Poe reached out, his hand skimming over the cloth. It was soft, dark blue, trimmed in silver. Across the left breast, there was an insignia, four vertical bars over a pair of pilot's wings. It was the rank of general. "A new uniform? But how?"

"We couldn't have our general getting married in old fatigues now, could we?" Finn said.

"I wasn't going to wear old fatigues!" He was going to wear an old suit of his dad's; they'd had it altered to fit him, as Kes was a bit taller than Poe. Since the Resistance was low on formality, Poe had cobbled together a uniform when they went to Naboo. It wasn't nice enough for a wedding, so he'd opted for the suit instead. He knew that Rey wouldn't care either way.

"Mijo, be nice," Kes scolded gently.

Poe stroked the fabric again. "Guys, this is…how did you even manage something like this?"

Finn spoke up. "I called in a favor. Once Kes and Beaumont had a design, I sent it to Reva. She had it made for you. Pretty great, right?"

"Did my co-general get one?"

Finn shrugged. "Maybe."

Poe chuckled. "You better. I don't want to be the only one in a woolamander suit tomorrow." He ran his fingers over the buffed brass. "Thanks, guys. This means a lot to me." He'd never wanted to be a general, but now that he was, he would do his very best to make them all proud. Even better, Rey would love it.

The party broke up about an hour later, leaving Poe alone in the huge suite. Essentially an office and a bedroom, it was utilitarian and sterile. The furniture was functional and only moderately comfortable. Except for the bed. That was a dream. Definitely better than the one in his childhood bedroom back at the ranch. He liked staying there and spending time with his dad, but once he and Rey were married, it probably made more sense for them to move in here. Until their house was ready. Kes had built the ranch house himself; Poe didn't have time for all that. At least not yet. There was still so much to be done.

He flopped down on the bed, scrubbing his hand over his face. What was he doing here? He should march downstairs, grab a speeder and go to the ranch. He missed Rey. Only a few days ago, they'd christened this very bed, connected on a level that few beings in the whole galaxy could even fathom. _Don't think about that, _he scolded himself. He'd never get any sleep if he fantasized about his gorgeous bride all night.

Poe pushed himself up and headed to the fresher. He got himself ready for bed even though he wasn't tired. He hung up the new uniform, hoping to get any wrinkles out before the ceremony. It didn't even look like there were any, but he liked the way it looked against the white tile. It reminded him a bit of his dad's old Alliance uniform. He'd only seen it once when he was a child. Poe hoped he didn't feel like an imposter when he put it on.

When he returned to bed, he was surprised to see his holo flashing. Poe dived for it, thankful Finn had returned it before he left. "This is General Dameron. Oh, hi, Sunshine." Poe smiled wide, thrilled to see her, even if was only a hologram.

"Hey flyboy." She tilted her head and peered at him with narrowed eyes. "Where's your shirt?"

Poe sat up, giving her a better view. "Are you complaining, sweetheart?"

Rey rolled her eyes. "You didn't lose your clothes in a bet, did you?"

Poe laughed. "Now, why would you think that?" Though, now that he thought about it, that might be a good game for them to play. Alone, of course.

"Force knows what you boys could get up to," she countered.

"Aw, did you miss me, mi amor?" He was teasing, but he really missed her.

Rey grinned mischievously. "Nope. We're good."

"I see how it is." He pretended to be put out; reaching to switch off the holo. Rey called his bluff, crying out. Poe grinned. "How's my girl?"

The image flickered slightly, but Poe didn't miss the wistful look on her face. "I can't sleep," she said quietly.

"Where is everyone?"

"Asleep, I think. They left me alone over an hour ago." Before Poe could protest, she stopped him. "It's okay. I asked them to. It was getting late anyway."

"Sounds like the party we had here," Poe replied with a soft chuckle. "Don't get me wrong, it was nice to spend the time, but I'd rather be there with you."

"Why did we think this was a good idea?"

"Because our loving friends and family suckered us into it," he deadpanned. "Last time we listen to them, I say." His words had the desired effect; he got her to laugh. It was one of his favorites sounds in the whole galaxy.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too, Sunshine." He couldn't recall the last time he got a good night's sleep without her in his arms. Maybe some people would think he was pathetic, but Poe just felt better, having her close. "I thought about grabbing a speeder. But, you know, bad luck and all that."

"It's just a few hours. We can make it. Right?"

Poe grinned. "Sure we can. You were gone for a whole week before." Granted, that had been one of the longest weeks of his life, but they both needed the pep talk. Being separated wasn't easy for either of them.

"Poe?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you, um, sing? It might help me fall asleep."

"Anything for you, mi amor." He settled himself under the covers with his back against the fluffy pillows. He started to hum, then picked the song up with the chorus. Rey smiled happily, curled up under the covers now. She must have the holo on the nightstand beside the bed. He could picture her there, stretched out in his old bed, wearing one of his shirts. He focused on her beautiful face, singing until her features evened out, her breathing steady. "Good night, Sunshine," he whispered. He took one final look before he switched off the holo and tried to sleep himself. Tomorrow was probably the most important day of his life; he didn't want to disappoint his bride.

* * *

"May I come in?"

Rey turned toward the door. Fortunately, the voice was that of a friend. "Yes, please!" She'd been staring at the mirror for over an hour, unable to decide what to do with her hair. Maybe they should have planned more for this wedding. She felt discombobulated, unsure of herself.

"You're not dressed?" the Queen of Naboo asked.

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Get married?"

"No, no, not that." She sighed, resting the hairbrush on the dresser. "This. The dressing up part. It doesn't feel like me."

To her surprise, Reva smiled. She was dressed much more simply than Rey expected. The Queen of Naboo was known for her outlandish formal regalia. This dress was almost plain in comparison, lavender and gray, sleeveless to accommodate the Yavin climate. Her dark hair was soft and flowing; she looked more like a girl her age ought to look, though still beautiful. "Would you like some help?"

"If you don't mind?" Reva had her handmaidens to help her do things like this; Rey felt a little awkward asking the Queen's advice. Still, Reva had become a friend.

"Is that your dress?" Reva asked, taking the hairbrush.

"Yes. Thank you so much for helping me track down some of Leia's things."

"It was no trouble." Reva nodded at the chair. "Now sit." Rey did as instructed, letting her eyes fall closed as Reva drew the brush through her hair. It was surprisingly soothing. "Your hair is lovely, Rey."

"I don't know what to do with it," she confessed. "Poe likes it down, but it's so warm and the dress…"

"How about we try some things and see which one you like best?"

"I've never had to do anything like this before."

"Fortunately, I have." They spent the next half hour or so combing and twisting Rey's dark locks into a variety of styles, trying to find the perfect one. In the end, she chose something simple, a loose knot that she could pull out easily as the evening turned cool. A few loose tendrils framed her face. Reva helped Rey into the white dress, glancing away discretely as Rey shuck the robe to settle the straps on her shoulders. When Rey saw her reflection in the full length mirror, she stopped.

"Oh." Rey hardly recognized the woman who stared back at her. With the timing of the wedding so soon, Rey had to improvise when it came to a dress. Maz had been the one to suggest she try to see if Leia's gowns from her time as a senator were in storage; Maz had put her into contact with the right people. A whole ship filled with Leia's things arrived not long after; it was a miracle they had survived the war. Leia couldn't be with them in person; Rey hoped she wouldn't mind if she borrowed something.

The gown had to be altered a bit to fit Rey. The young Jedi was taller than her Master. Fortunately, the gown had detachable sleeves; Rey left them off in a nod to the heat and humidity. The skirt was bunched at the back; they'd let out some of the material to so that it reached Rey's feet. It also created a short train that Rose was especially fond of. The back was completely open and lined with delicate silver embroidery.

It was a gown fit for a princess of Alderaan, not a scavenger girl from Jakku.

"Poe is going to _flip _when he sees you!" Rose cried, entering the room. "Rey, this is gorgeous!"

"It was Leia's remember?"

"She'd be so happy for you."

"Rose is correct," Reva said, smiling. "You honor her with this, Rey. She is here with you."

Rey blinked away tears that threatened to fall. This was not a day for tears. This was a happy day. "Is it time?"

"Nearly. Finn said he'd give me a signal when everyone was in place."

Rey nodded, swallowing heavily. "Do you have it?"

Rose patted her pocket. "Yes, it's right here." During the party the night before, Rose and Jannah helped her create the setting for her kyber crystal shard. First thing in the morning, Finn had arrived to take Shara's ring for the ceremony. When Rey revealed her intentions for the chain, Finn became a co-conspirator. He left the chain with Rey, promising to guard the ring with his life. They hugged before he left; the next time they saw each other Rey would be married. To Poe.

It was startling to think about how far the three of them had come since she found BB-8 on Jakku.

"Mistress Rey! Mistress Rey!"

"In here, Threepio!"

The golden protocol droid shuffled into the room. Rey couldn't help it; she smiled. He was shining, gleaming in a way she'd never seen. "Master Finn states that all is ready."

"Thanks, Threepio."

"You are quite welcome. All this excitement has made me rather nostalgic, Mistress." With a wave C-3PO hurried off, his job complete. Rey wondered where the other droids were. She hadn't seen R2-D2, D-O _or_ BB-8 in hours. She hoped they were staying out of trouble. Though how much trouble they could get into on the Dameron ranch was up for debate.

"Ready?" Rose asked.

"I'm ready."

She picked up her bouquet of flowers. Rose and Reva left ahead of her to join the assembled throng of friends and family. Rey breathed deeply to settle her nerves; there were a lot of people outside. Almost everyone in the Resistance knew Poe, so it was hard to choose who got to come and who had to stay behind to man the base and command center. Rey took one last look around the room, then she headed for the kitchen door. The area between the house and the Force tree was lined with people and aliens; every eye was on her, the moment she stepped outside. The sun was setting behind her, giving her an almost golden glow as she walked slowly down the path that parted the crowd. Rey called on every bit of her Jedi training to keep her feet moving. She almost wished she accepted Kes' offer to walk with her, but she wanted to do this alone.

After today, she wouldn't be alone. Not ever again.

She gripped the flowers Poe had sent her tighter, not wanting her hands to shake. She wasn't nervous about marriage. As Poe said, it felt like they were married already. But Rey had spent most of her life making herself as unobtrusive as possible. By staying hidden, she stayed safe. It was what her parents had given her up for. To keep her safe. All those eyes on her made her uncomfortable, made her want to hide.

The sun was lower now. The blue glow of the Force tree was ahead, growing more beautiful as the sun slipped below the horizon. The crowd on either side of her quieted as she passed; there was a curve ahead.

Poe wiped his palms on his jacket. He wanted to believe that his palms were sweaty from the heat, but he'd be kidding himself. The new uniform fit him perfectly, but it didn't make him feel anymore like a proper general than he did the day before. He'd been on edge all day, waiting to see Rey. He knew the moment he saw her, everything would settle into place. It always did when she was around.

"Breathe," Finn whispered.

"What's taking so long?" They'd sent Threepio ages ago; at least, it felt that way. Beside him, BB-8 beeped encouragingly. "I'm sure she's beautiful, buddy. She'll be here soon."

There was shuffling and murmuring nearby. Gradually, it quieted; Poe raised his head expectantly.

Suddenly, he couldn't _breathe._

Poe was utterly speechless. He'd always known Rey was beautiful, gorgeous inside and out. Her brown hair was twisted into a loose knot that was already beginning to come undone. Soft tendrils framed her face; her hazel eyes sparkled in the blue light. She had this cute shy smile that made his heart skip a beat. And that dress? It clung to her slender curves in all the best ways, with satin flowing out behind her like a river.

He couldn't believe he got to have forever with her.

Rey glanced left and right, focusing mainly on the ground in front of her. The path had been cleared well, but it would be just her luck to trip. The moment she rounded the corner, she glanced up to see how far she had to go.

_Oh. Gods._

Poe stood under the little arbor, his dark eyes riveted. On _her._ He was devastatingly handsome in a brand new uniform, in a style she'd never seen. His dark curls were mussed, like he'd been running his fingers through it nervously. That made her smile. Their eyes caught and held; Rey's smile widened. So did Poe's. Everything else seemed to fall away, like they were the only two people in the whole galaxy.

She reached him a few moments later, a giddy happiness rolling down her spine. Rose appeared out of nowhere, offering to take her flowers. Rey handed them over; she didn't need them anymore. Poe held his hands out; Rey took them, still grinning. "You look stunning," Poe whispered, squeezing her hands.

"You too, General."

They could have stared at each other all evening, but it would be pitch black soon if they didn't hurry. The glow from the Force tree illuminated things just enough, giving the occasion an ethereal glow. As Finn was the highest ranking member of the Resistance after Poe (as well as being their best friend), they'd asked him to perform the ceremony.

Poe heard Finn speaking, but he wasn't paying attention. How could he when Rey stood before him, looking like _that?_ Poe—normally so gregarious—had no words. There was nothing he could say that would capture how beautiful his bride was or how much he loved her. He twisted their hands slightly so he could thread his fingers through hers; she glanced down at their hands, transfixed.

"Poe," Finn whispered urgently. "The ring!"

"Ring. Right." There was a smattering of laughter near them, but Poe ignored it. Instead, he released Rey's hand and crouched down. "That's your cue, buddy." BB-8 beeped happily; there was more laughter from those who understood binary. The little droid opened one of his access panels, the very same one Poe had secured the map to Luke Skywalker in over a year ago. Poe carefully plucked out his mother's ring from the compartment and gave his faithful friend a fond scratch. "Thanks."

Rey was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. She loved the tender relationship between Poe and BB-8. It was one of the things that made her fall for him in the first place. Poe straightened, glancing at Finn. When Finn nodded, Poe took Rey's left hand in his. This time, her hand did not shake as he slid his mother's ring onto her finger. Rey let out a relieved breath; she felt the tension in her chest ease.

Poe expected Finn to have them recite the vows they'd practiced, but he turned to Rey instead. "You have something for Poe, don't you?"

Rey nodded, twisting to find Rose. Her friend folded the chain into her hand, then backed off. Rey took a deep breath; Poe looked adorably flummoxed. "Sunshine," he whispered, "what did you do?"

She felt the eyes on her again; she took a deep breath to steady herself. "Poe, you've given me something precious. More than I could have ever imagined as a little girl, growing up on Jakku. It's only right that I give you something precious in return." She unfolded her hands and held up the chain, the crystal pendant swaying gently. "This is a kyber crystal. A yellow crystal, to be exact." Poe's eyes lit up in recognition; her lightsaber was yellow. "The guardians of the Temple had yellow lightsabers. I am your guardian, as you are mine. For the rest of our days."

Poe had tears in his eyes as she slipped the chain over his head. He never expected her to do anything like this. "For the rest of our days," he replied softly, emotion welling in his throat.

The actual vows were redundant after that, but Finn made them recite them anyway. The moment Finn declared them married, Poe cradled Rey's face in his hands and kissed her. She melted against him, clutching at his shoulders as he tipped her over, his hand sliding down her bare back. Whoops and whistles filled the air, but the newlyweds weren't paying any attention. They kissed each other breathless, to thunderous applause. Rey was flushed and slightly embarrassed when they came up for air, but she couldn't stop smiling either. Poe wrapped her arm around his, leading them back through the throng of guests. Everyone seemed happy for them, calling out congratulations and cheering. It was nice, but Poe wanted a moment alone with his bride before the reception.

* * *

Poe shut the door behind him, shutting out the cheering from the crowd. "Finally," he murmured. "I thought we'd never…" But his words were cut off by Rey's kiss. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Miss me, wife?"

She giggled, happiness threatening to burst out of her. "Maybe."

"It's too late now, you know," he teased, unable to stop smiling. "You're stuck with me, Sunshine."

"Whatever will I do?" she asked, sinking her fingers in his hair and tugging him back for another kiss. It hadn't been that long since they'd seen each other, but it felt longer. His hands were warm against her back, triggering a whole new set of sensations.

If someone had told Poe that he'd be making out in his dad's kitchen with his wife on his wedding day, he'd have said they were insane. Yet here he was, his wife soft and perfect in his arms. Still, as much as he wanted to forget the party and march her to his room, he forced himself to slow down. "Don't want to mess up this dress," he whispered, his lips tracing the column of her throat.

Rey sighed. She knew he was right; they had somewhere to be. They were only going to get a few minutes to enjoy each other before their guests missed them. She kissed him one last time, then leaned her forehead to his. "You like it then? The dress?"

Poe's smile made her belly flip. "I love it. It's perfect." He brushed his fingertips down her spine; Rey shivered. "I'll never forget the moment you turned that corner, Rey. You took my breath away."

She blushed adorably; Poe kissed her heated cheeks. "You, uh, look good too. Where'd you get this uniform?"

Poe chuckled. "Our friend Finn, it seems, has been conspiring. They surprised me with it last night."

"You're keeping it, right?"

Poe laughed harder. "Oh, I knew you'd love it. If my wife wishes me to keep it, who am I to say no?"

Rey toyed with the curls at the nape of his neck. "We're really married now."

"Does it…feel different?"

"No. Yes?" She giggled. "I like when you call me your wife…husband."

Poe's heart nearly burst out of his chest. "Yeah, that's good. I like that too."

"Everyone's going to get so sick of us."

"Who cares? We're happy; that's all that matters."

"Think they'll miss us if we skip the party?"

Poe wet his lips, imagining himself peeling the dress from her body. But no. They should go, see their friends, and celebrate. "Probably. I'm surprised my dad hasn't come to get us yet. I just needed a few minutes alone with my amazing bride."

"Hmm, me too." She kissed him again, sighing as his lips parted for her. She deepened the kiss eagerly, shivering as his hands skimmed over the satin of her dress. When they eventually came up for air, Rey rested her head on his shoulder. "We should go."

Poe groaned. "I might need a couple of minutes, sweetheart."

"Sorry."

"Don't be." He kissed her hairline and continued to hold her until his body calmed down. Their friends had gone to a lot trouble; they couldn't miss their own reception. Poe wanted to dance with his wife. "Ready?"

Rey grinned. "Always, husband." His hair was a bit more mussed than when they'd entered the kitchen, but it only enhanced his beauty. He gave her a once over to make sure it wasn't _too_ obvious that they'd been making out like teenagers; she was still gorgeous in the white satin.

Rey looped her arm through his as they headed back out. The party was just getting started; Finn spotted them first. "We thought you'd gotten lost!"

Poe and Rey both laughed. More applause and cheers broke out as they wandered through the tables; they paused a few times to greet old friends. The remaining former members of Black Squadron were all at the same table; Poe accepted hugs and gentle teasing from his former squad mates. Karé's hug lingered; Rey knew they were thinking about Snap. But Karé was dry eyed, clearly happy for her friend.

"You've got yourself a good one, Rey," Karé said, nodding at Poe. "Don't let these jerks tell you any different."

"I know." She hugged the older woman; Rey couldn't imagine how she was feeling. "Thank you for being here."

Poe gently took Rey's hand and led her the rest of the way to the main table. There, Kes, Finn, Jannah, Rose and Chewie were waiting. Kes hugged his children tightly. "I am so happy for you," he whispered. "You look beautiful, mija."

"Thank you."

In the middle of all the hugs and well wishes, BB-8 came rolling up with D-O right behind. "There you are," Rey said, kneeling to the little droids' level. BB-8 trilled and beeped; everyone laughed. "Yes, you did a wonderful job, Beebee-Ate."

"W-w-we have a-a-a-a gift," D-O stuttered. The droid was more comfortable with Poe and Rey now, but Rey knew that large crowds still made him a bit skittish.

"You do?"

Poe knelt down too. "Well, don't leave us in suspense, buddy. Let's see it!"

BB-8 rolled slightly to expose another access panel. This one dropped open; Poe gently reached inside and extracted a small holoframe. When he switched it on, a picture of him, Rey and their droids filled the frame. It was a candid picture with Rey and Poe tinkering one of farm's harvesters, the droids rolling around them fetching tools. "Where did you get this?" Poe asked. It could only have been taken in the last few days.

"Arrrtoo captured the picture," D-O explained. "Go-o-od friend."

Rey grinned. "Yes, he is." She and Poe shared a look, their fingers twining together over the frame. It was a picture of their family, as unconventional as it was.

Someone nearby sniffed; it was Rose. "Sorry," she mumbled. "That's just so sweet!"

Poe squeezed Rey's hand. "Thank you," he said to the droids. "It's the perfect gift." He let go of Rey long enough to hug his astromech; Rey brushed D-O's cone with her fingertips. Their mission accomplished the droids beeped and stuttered their farewells, rejoining Threepio and Artoo near the edge of the gathering.

Poe set the holoframe between he and Rey at the center of the table. "That was unexpected."

Rey scooted closer to him, looking fondly at the picture. "Our first family picture."

"It is, isn't it?" Poe chuckled. "We'll have a lot more, Sunshine. We can fill our house with them if you want."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'd like that."

Finn took over from there, standing to welcome everyone and to congratulate the happy couple. Rey noticed that he had a uniform similar to Poe's; she had no idea where they'd come from. She'd have to ask later. Finn told some funny stories, most of which had Poe grumbling under his breath. Rey leaned over and whispered in his ear every time; she thought it was cute. Later, Poe held her hand as everyone stood and raised their cups; Finn led them in a toast. The bubbles from the sparkling wine tickled her throat; Poe rubbed her back as she fought a cough. "Alright?"

"Yeah."

She didn't get the chance to say anything else, as piles and piles of food were being brought out. It reminded Rey of the celebration after Exegol; people chatted away, digging into the feast that had been prepared. Rey couldn't remember the last time she saw so much food! She was so busy taking it all in that Poe had to fill her plate for her. "You should eat," he scolded gently. "Can't have you passing out from hunger on our wedding night."

She shot him a look. "Get that smirk off your face, General." Did he want everyone to hear him?

"Or what?"

"Or the night may not go how you wish, husband."

Poe arched a brow at her as his hand settled on her thigh under the table. "That, mi amor, is an empty threat," he whispered in her ear. "And we both know it."

"Fine," she conceded. She stole a kiss from his lips, then she speared a piece of fruit with her fork. "Happy?"

"Perfectly."

More people came up to them as the meal progressed; Rey noticed that not all the congratulations were completely friendly. It seemed that Rose had been right; there were people jealous of her. Rey couldn't really blame them; Poe was handsome and kind and downright dashing. She kept staring at him, at the fine figure he cut in his new uniform. She definitely liked it. He grinned like a fool every time he caught her, which was often. He never said anything, never teased her, but his eyes gave him away. They were both counting down the minutes until they could leave.

"Oh!" Rose gasped. "Look!"

Poe and Rey followed her finger; a band had set up on the far end of the clearing. "How?" Rey asked.

"I'm afraid that was my doing." Rey looked down; Reva stood in front of the table. "What wedding is complete without some dancing?"

Rey glanced at Poe. He was grinning, clearly thrilled. Rey, on the other hand, was mildly terrified. She'd never actually danced before. He felt the tension in her. "What's wrong?"

"I've never danced," she whispered.

"Never? Well, we can fix that. I've been looking forward to this."

"Really?"

He nodded, taking her hand in his. "For once," he teased, "you'll have to let me lead. May I have this dance, wife?"

All Rey could do was nod. Poe pulled her chair out and led her down. She gripped his hand tightly. All eyes were on them as Poe led them to a reasonably flat patch of ground. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as Poe turned and wrapped one arm around her waist while taking her other hand in his. "Breathe," he whispered. "I've got you."

The music changed to something slow and romantic. Poe pulled her closer, his smile warm and happy. She couldn't help but smile back as they started to move. Rey, who was usually so confident and graceful when she wielded her lightsaber, felt a bit foolish at first. Her small heels put them at the same height; she leaned into him until their foreheads touched. "See? Nothin' to it, sweetheart," he murmured so only she could hear.

"I'm apologizing now, in case I step on your foot."

Poe chuckled. "You won't." He moved them in a slow circle, nothing too complicated. She felt perfect in his arms; this was another moment he wanted to remember. Everything about her was intoxicating; he wanted to hold on to this feeling as long as he could. Gradually, other couples joined them, though they gave the newlyweds a wide berth. The music changed a couple of times, but they remained close, soaking each other in. Rey forgot to be self-conscious as Poe maneuvered them around; once, when he spun her around, she broke out in giggles, even though she nearly tripped on the train of her dress.

"Now you're having fun," Poe commented, smiling.

"I have a good teacher."

"Hmm, maybe we'll practice some more later."

"You gonna hog her all night, Poe?" Finn asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"She is _my_ wife," he countered. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Just one," Finn said. "Then you can have her back, okay?"

Poe pretended to be annoyed, but Rey knew he wasn't. "Feel free to step on _his_ feet, mi amor," he said, stepping back. "I'll be back for you."

Rey laughed. "Poe's not wrong," she said as Finn took her hand. "I might step on you."

"You looked like you were doing alright. And it wouldn't be the first time it's happened tonight. Dancing isn't a high priority with the First Order." They moved awkwardly for a bit, then Finn spoke again. "You look really happy, Rey."

"I am. Thanks for helping me with the necklace. It means a lot to me."

"You know I've always got your back. That's what best friends are for."

They hugged, both realizing that things would never be _quite_ the same again. They were moving forward, finding happiness and love. But that happiness meant that other things would change. Still, this wasn't a time for sadness. Finn reminded her of that, wryly commenting on some of their friends, whose dancing skills were…interesting to say the least.

"Could you spare a dance for me, mija?"

Rey turned, smiling at her father in law. "I'd love to."

"Lost your husband already?" he teased, as the older Dameron guided them among the other dancers. It didn't take a genius to figure out where Poe learned to dance. Kes was very good.

"Oh, I know exactly where he is." She felt him, not far away. He was watching her while talking to Jess and Suralinda.

"I am so happy for you both. It was a beautiful wedding."

"Thank you for everything," Rey said sincerely. "You've welcomed me into your family, despite knowing where I come from. That means everything to me."

"Rey, I am proud to call you daughter. You've made my son happy. That is all I've ever wanted. Where you come from doesn't matter."

Rey sighed as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. As if summoned, her husband appeared. "Alright, Sunshine?"

She hugged his side. "Yeah, I'm good."

"They want us to cut some sugary concoction. Then maybe we'll get out of here?"

"My son, leaving his own wedding reception early," Kes complained. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Papa…"

Kes grinned. "Just don't make me an abuelo too soon, okay?"

Poe's jaw dropped as his father walked away. Hearing his dad imply _things_ about his sex life wasn't something Poe ever expected to happen. "What?" Rey asked. "What is it?"

"You know how we were thinking about moving to the base after the wedding?"

"Yeah?"

"We're doing that first thing in the morning."

"Why?"

Poe sighed. "Abuelo means grandfather."

Rey's eyes widened. "Oh."

Poe kissed her forehead. "Shall we cut this thing then ditch the party, Mrs. Dameron?"

Rey giggled. He'd never called her that before, but she liked it. "Yes, let's."

* * *

It took them another hour or so to slip away. It turned out that slicing the fluffy baked treat wasn't enough. She and Poe shared a big slice as more well-wishers showered them with congratulations. It was nice, seeing how happy everyone was for them, but it was exhausting too. Beaumont started to lead the group in a dance that he'd learned on his travels through the galaxy; they used the distraction to sneak off.

The ranch house was dark now; fortunately, Poe didn't need light to guide them to his bedroom. He squinted as the lights came on; it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust. "This is much better," Poe murmured, flopping down dramatically on the bed.

"I thought you thrived on attention," Rey teased, stretching out beside him. She'd tugged her hair loose on the way to the house; it flowed over her shoulders.

Poe turned on his side. "Your attention, maybe." He traced her arm with a fingertip. "I've wanted you all night."

Rey leaned in, pressing her lips to his. "I'm all yours."

Poe threaded his fingers into her soft chestnut locks and pulled her in for another kiss. This one deepened almost immediately; Rey curled her fingers into his uniform jacket. He pressed her back into the mattress, his hand sliding over the satin as he kissed her breathless. "I've dreamed of this," he whispered, his mouth trailing wet kisses down her throat. "My wife, begging for me."

Rey shivered. "Poe…"

He grinned. "We don't have to rush, sweetheart. There's no one here but us." Poe forced himself up, then Rey. She looked adorably confused until he settled them in front of the full-length mirror. Poe rested his hands on her hips, his chin rested on her shoulder. "I almost don't want to take this off," he murmured. "You look incredible in this dress."

Rey's breathing hitched as his hands slid over her hips. "Don't you want to see what's under it?"

Poe brushed her hair back over her shoulder, peppering her pale skin with kisses. She watched in fascination as he took one of the straps between his teeth and tugged it down. "Like this?"

Rey reached up and sank her fingers into Poe's thick curls. Their mouths met in a wet needy kiss. Poe's hand dropped to her belly and gave her a sharp tug, letting her feel just how much this was affecting him. She rocked back against him, heat pooling low in her belly. She'd been without him for almost two days; she needed to feel him.

Poe broke their kiss with a gasp; he didn't want things spiraling out of control too quickly. He'd waited a very long time for this. Rey was a bit unsteady as she watched him peel off the blue jacket and work the buttons of the shirt. She helped him tug the material from his pants and slide the shirt from his shoulders. Their mouths met again in another hungry kiss, with Rey exploring his chest with her fingertips. "Missed you," she whispered, kissing his stubbled jaw.

"Missed you too." He gently turned her around again, so she faced the mirror. Rey kept her eyes locked with his as he slid his fingers under the other strap and tugged it down. The satin gave way completely, sliding from her lithe form until it pooled at her feet. Poe groaned; the only thing left covering her were some lace underwear he'd never seen. He splayed his hand on her belly, her pale skin a stark contrast to his. He murmured something in Yavinese that she didn't catch. Rey covered his hand with hers, encouraging him to touch her.

Rey wet her lips as his hand dipped into her underwear. "Where did you get these?" he growled.

"Wedding gift," she breathed, widening her stance. "You like them?"

"Very much." She was hot and wet for him already, her hips grinding against his hand. "Watch us, wife," he commanded softly. "Look at that mirror while I make you come."

Rey let out a needy whine, his fingers brushing her aching nub. While Poe's right hand was down there, his left kept her flush against his chest, effectively holding her up as he manipulated her body. Her legs felt like jelly as he rubbed her slowly, her hips trying to grind fruitlessly against those calloused fingertips. She struggled to obey his command; her eyes kept falling shut as she climbed higher and higher. Every time, Poe would stop until she'd locked her gaze with his once more. She felt like she could drown in those dark orbs; his need for her threatened to consume her. Rey clutched at his sides as he pushed her higher, two thick digits sliding into her molten core. Rey stiffened as she climaxed, her walls clamping around his fingers. She cried out in pleasure, one hand braced on the mirror as she ground against him, dragging out her high. Poe pressed kisses to her spine, whispering how much he loved her.

Rey leaned back against him, still trembling. Poe held her around the middle, his head tucked into the crook of her neck. "Still with me?"

"Mmhmm." She felt like she was floating, happy though not yet sated. She'd missed him too much. Rey turned, kissing her husband briefly before shimmying out of her underwear. She kicked her shoes aside too. Poe smiled into her kiss, relishing the feel of her skin against his. "My turn."

Poe swallowed heavily as she dropped to her knees. He struggled to remain still as she pressed a kiss to his belly as she opened his fly. Her hazel eyes were bright from her high; Poe smiled because he'd done that to her. He'd unlocked this side of his Jedi that no one else would ever get to see. He groaned as the pressure eased on his erection; Rey carefully stripped off his boots, socks and trousers, leaving him as naked as she.

"See something you like?" he asked, smirking down at her. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of the way she looked at him, the desire clear on her delicate features.

"I see something I want." She rarely got to admire him from this angle; she still didn't understand why he chose her. Her husband was _beautiful._ And now he belonged to her. She licked her lips, hazel clashing with brown as she leaned forward and ran her tongue over his length. Poe groaned softly, mesmerized by her. She placed her hands on his hips, holding him steady while she worshipped his cock. She licked and nibbled and sucked carefully on the belled head, driving him crazy. He sank both hands into her hair, biting hard on his lip to keep some semblance of control. She'd learned his body well in the time they'd been together; he was paying for that now.

Rey dug her fingers into his skin, hollowing out her cheeks as she took him deeper. The little groans and soft cries that tumbled from his lips had her wet and aching for him; she loved that she could have him at her mercy like this. "Sweetheart," he breathed. "You need to…_kriff_…I'm gonna…" He managed to pull her off at the last second, panting hard. "Not like that. Not this time."

Still feeling like he'd been chased by stormtroopers, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. They fell into it, mouths fused together in a hungry duel of lips and tongue. Rey whined as he slipped into the cradle of her thighs, grinding against her wet swollen sex. "Poe…please…"

"Tell me what you want, wife," he growled, sliding his hand down her thigh.

"You," she breathed. "I want you!"

"So close," he chuckled. "What. Do. You. Want."

When he said he wanted to make her beg, she assumed he was teasing. She'd underestimated how long he'd imagined this moment. Rather than reply, she kissed him, using the distraction to flip them so Poe was on his back. "What I want, _husband,_" she whispered, as she reached between them, "is you. Inside. Me." She let out a loud groan as she took him in, the stretch exactly what she craved. She was so aroused that he filled her in a single stroke; she could feel every inch of his thick girth. "Gods yes."

Poe ran his hands over her hips, his lip between his teeth. She felt even better than he remembered, hot, wet and snug around him. It was almost like she was made for him and him for her. Which, given their Force bond, might be literally true. He watched, completely enamored, as she rode him steadily, her hands braced on his chest. "Love you," he said. "Love you so much, Rey."

She rolled her hips, bending over to kiss him. His hands moved to her ass, kneading the soft globes as they moved together. "I love you," she whispered back, her fingertips tracing the chain around his neck.

He reached between them, seeking her clit. She gasped when he found it; he knew exactly how much pressure she needed to fall apart for him. "Let go, sweetheart. Let go for me."

Her whole body trembled as she climaxed a second time; Poe bucked up into her, drawing it out. She whined, still riding her high, but Poe had not followed her. He was still erect, buried deep inside her, keeping her aroused. "Oh gods, it feels…you feel…"

Poe kissed her forehead. "You're perfect, mi amor. Just breathe." It was a physical ache when he left her, twisting them around on the bed. Rey realized his plan the moment the mirror came into view. He tugged her up on her hands and knees; Poe pressed kisses down the length of her spine. She was mesmerized by the picture they made, skin glistening with sweat, eyes glazed over, lips kiss swollen.

"You see it, don't you," he whispered, bent over her. "You see what we feel for each other. My wife. My heart."

She moaned deeply as he sank into her once more, fusing them together as one. Rey reveled in the feeling for several long blissful moments. She caught a glimpse of them in the mirror, Poe driving into her hard and deep, and she whimpered. He felt so good; she wanted to keep him there forever.

"Force, Rey," he groaned when he realized she was watching them. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up, so she was prone in his lap. He drove into her over and over, chasing the orgasm that remained just out of reach. Rey turned her head, kissing him sloppily, drawing his hands over her body. Poe bucked into her harder, faster, the bed creaking dangerously under them. Rey cried out first, her orgasm slamming into her, stealing her voice. Poe grunted as he followed, bending them over as he emptied himself deep inside her spasming heat. He held her close, euphoria burning through his veins.

Rey sighed as lips brushed the back of her neck. "Hey," she breathed, drawing Poe's arm around her middle.

"Hey."

She didn't want to move, but she needed to get cleaned up. "I'll be right back, okay?"

"I'll be here." He kissed her shoulder again, letting his hand skim over her skin as she rose. They were alone in the house, so she went to the fresher, padding there barefoot. Poe turned down the bed, though the blankets were already rumpled. She returned just as he was settling on his side of the bed.

"Sleepy already?"

He chuckled. "Nope. But the bed's more comfortable than that chair."

"True." She slipped in beside him; Poe wrapped his arm around her. They were quiet for some time, content to just be after the hectic—if happy—day. Rey couldn't stop touching him, drawing nonsense on his golden skin. Eventually, she broke the silence. "Were you serious before?"

"About what?"

"Moving into the base tomorrow."

"Maybe not _tomorrow_." If he had his way, they'd only be leaving this room to eat and shower for at least a couple of days. "But eventually, yeah."

"I thought you liked staying with Kes."

"I do, but with us being married now," his face broke into a grin, still giddy that he could say that out loud and have it be true, "we need our own space. It's going to take a little while to build our house, Sunshine."

"It is a bit crowded here," she conceded.

"We'll see him a lot. The base isn't that far. He'll insist we eat here at least once a week when we're on planet."

Rey laughed. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's not. And I have missed him. But spending the first few months of my married life in my _dad's_ house wasn't part of the plan."

"Married life," she repeated, awestruck. "We actually did that."

"We sure did." He touched the pendant around his neck. He never expected anything from her; having her love was enough. He understood the meaning behind her gift. He was beyond words. "Thank you for this, mi amor."

She covered his hand with hers, Shara's ring shined in the light. "You'll always have a piece of me with you, no matter what happens."

He kissed her forehead. "No talk like that now. It's our wedding day."

"I just meant…"

"Shhh, I know. It's okay."

"Think anyone missed us?"

Poe grinned. "Probably, but I don't care. This is where I want to be."

"Me too." Rey tilted her head and pressed her lips to his. Poe kissed her back lazily, carding his fingers through her hair. "I love you, husband," she whispered, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

"I love you, too, wife," Poe replied, unable to keep the grin off his face. She smiled back, surging forward to kiss him again. It was going to be a very long night.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's note:** Yay for another update! Thank you all again for the continued love on this fic. It's not the angstiest or action packed, but it's the kind of adventure filled romantic smut fest that I love. I hope you enjoy it! I got a little teary writing this one; you'll see why toward the end.

**Disclaimer: **Still nope.

**Chapter 18**

Rey rolled over, her hand skimming absently over the cool sheets. She cracked one eye open, confused. Where was Poe? The coolness of the sheets indicated that he'd left their bed a while ago. That was strange. Since the wedding three days ago, they'd been inseparable. Especially after they realized that Kes' wedding gift to them was to stay on the base for a solid week, just to give them some privacy. Poe lamented that he couldn't give her a better honeymoon, but to Rey, this was perfect. Waking up in his arms was one of her absolute favorite things in the whole galaxy. She didn't need anything else.

After all, she was finally _home._

Which begged the question, where was her husband? Rey still felt a happy little flutter in her chest every time she thought the word. Husband. Poe was her husband. She was his wife. Bonded in marriage, bonded in the Force; they were partners in every way. She'd been alone for so long; she had no idea that it could feel like this. To be so connected to another person.

It was warmer than she remembered it being when they fell asleep. The thick blanket was pushed down to the very bottom of the bed; she was covered in only the thin sheet. And _only _the thin sheet, as they'd been naked more than they'd been clothed the last three days. Which Rey was not complaining about. At _all._

She pushed the sheet down and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Judging by the sun, it was late afternoon. Rey stretched her arms over her head, letting out a jaw cracking yawn. She was tired, but it was different type of tired than she'd ever experienced in her life. No one was demanding anything of her; she wasn't fighting tooth and nail to survive. She spent her days with her husband just…being. They talked for hours, shared meals from the leftovers of the wedding feast, read together, and made love. A lot. She couldn't seem to get enough of him, nor he of her.

Rey picked up his button-down shirt (the same one from the wedding; he hadn't worn a shirt in her presence for three days) and slipped it onto her shoulders. She buttoned enough of the buttons to be decent, then she went in search of her husband. She checked the fresher, the kitchen, the work room in the back of the house. It was eerily quiet; even the droids were gone, staying on the base with everyone else. They were truly alone.

"Poe?" she called, trying to resist the urge to reach for him in the Force. It didn't feel like there was anything wrong. After a minute of no reply, she went to get her boots. She couldn't imagine why, but he might be out in the shed. The sticky humid air seemed to smack her in the face the moment she stepped outside; outside and inside were nearly the same temperature, which wasn't normal. It had taken a while, but Kes had gotten some climate control for his home when Poe was a teenager. He'd told her all about helping his dad work on it; it was one of the last things they did together before he ran away.

The door to the shed was open; Rey hurried across the yard, Poe's shirt swishing halfway down her thighs. As she got closer, she heard a low curse and some banging. Rey came up short in the doorway, her mouth slightly agape. Oh. _Oh._

Poe had his back to her, wearing only pants and boots. Rey instinctively wet her lips; the muscles of his back flexed as he worked on whatever he was trying to fix. Her fingers itched to touch all that golden skin; she had to bite her cheek as he bent over the workbench, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Heat crept up her neck; she twisted her fingers together. "Poe?"

He straightened, twisting to look at her. "Hey, Sunshine. Did the heat wake you? I hoped I'd have this fixed before then."

She stepped further into the shed. "I woke up, but not because of the heat. What happened?"

"The compressor on this thing is cracked. I've been trying to get it patched until Papa can get a new one."

"Want some help?"

"You shouldn't have to do this."

"Why not?"

Poe looked her up and down; she saw his Adam's apple bob. He chuckled dryly. "Hell, at this point, I'm not sure I should be working on it either." He laid the parts aside, closing the space between them in two strides. Rey gripped his biceps as he kissed her, his lips soft against hers. His hands slid around her slender waist, getting grease on his dress shirt, not that he gave a damn. She was far too enticing, dressed in his clothes. The shirt barely covered her anyway; the back of it rode up as she leaned into him. Poe slid his hands down further, squeezing her ass. "Kriff, I missed you," he murmured, hauling her against him.

"You were gone," she replied, running her hands down his chest. "I woke up alone."

"Sorry, sorry," he breathed, twisting them around so he could press her against the worktable. "Didn't think it would take so long."

The material of his shirt rubbed deliciously over her nipples; arousal pooled in her core. "Can we…fix it…later?" she panted.

He grinned. "And why's that, sweetheart?"

She tugged him down to her, so her lips brushed the shell of his ear. "Because I'd really like you to take me back to bed, flyboy."

Poe groaned; her seductive tone going right to his cock. What did it matter if they got hot and sweaty when they were _already _hot and sweaty? He kissed her one last time, then he scooped her up and marched them back to the house. Rey laughed the whole way, clinging to his neck. She was perfectly capable of walking, but she knew her husband enjoyed this. He enjoyed taking care of her, especially in these small ways. He carried her like she weighed nothing; she had to admit there was something _very_ attractive about that.

There was no one home, but Poe kicked the bedroom door shut behind them anyway. She was driving him crazy with her lips next to his ear, whispering how much she needed him. She'd been relatively innocent when they became lovers, but in just a few short weeks she'd blossomed. She wasn't shy about asking for what she wanted or how badly she wanted him. Poe was selfish enough to _love _the attention; his wife was young and beautiful, after all. He'd once believed her out of his reach, but now she was his home, his safe harbor in the chaos that surrounded them.

Poe laid her out in the middle of the bed, pausing long enough to yank off her boots, then his. Rey's merry laugh filled the room as he joined her in the bed, his weight making the whole thing bounce. She mewled into his kiss; her hands threaded through his curls as she pulled him on top of her. His hand slid down her bare thigh, leaving streaks of dirt on her pale skin. "Very naughty of you to run outside like this," he growled, pushing the fabric higher. "Anyone could have seen what's mine."

"Yours, huh?" she whispered, arching as his lips slid down her throat.

He gave her ass a squeeze then started flicking open the buttons of his shirt. The material parted easily, exposing her flat belly and perfect breasts. Poe ducked his head, taking one nipple between his lips and sucking hard. Rey keened, arching under him. "Poe…kriff…"

"Planning on making this a habit, wife?" he murmured, circling her other nipple with a finger. The peak grew taut and pink under his touch; he couldn't resist sucking deeply. He loved making her writhe and moan for him. "All this is mine."

Rey wet her lips as she panted for air; that low gravel in his voice did wicked things to her insides. She was slowly realizing that he'd been holding back before, allowing her to set the pace. She adored him for it, but she was big girl. She loved and trusted him completely; she wanted to explore with him.

"You didn't answer my question," he said, a hint of the general in his voice now. Rey shivered; she remembered peeling that general's uniform off his body on their wedding night. He'd never been more handsome than under the arbor, waiting to marry her. Before she could even coax her brain into some form of speech, he moved, rising completely from the bed, leaving her body screaming for his touch.

"Poe!"

He swallowed, breathing deeply to keep at least some of his sense. They kept a basin on the dresser; he took a few moments to scrub his hands clean. Once they were clean and dry, he took his time removing his pants, knowing she was watching. The full-length mirror was still there in the room; he hadn't missed that his wife liked watching. A lot. Her hazel eyes were glazed over with need; she worried her lip between her teeth as he approached the bed again. Poe didn't bother to hide any part of himself as he approached her; they were well beyond that now. They knew each other far more intimately than he'd previously thought possible; he loved being bonded to her this way. It was easily the most profound thing he'd ever felt.

Rey trembled as he approached; her torso was propped up on her elbows, the material of his shirt fell off her shoulders and bunched at the crook of her arms. She was a vision, a bit of dirt still smeared on her skin, her nipples taut, her lips kiss bitten, those hazel eyes burning for him. Poe placed a teasing kiss to her belly, planting himself between her splayed thighs. He could smell her arousal, heady and sweet; he resisted the urge to taste her. For the moment. "Do you like running around here, barely covered, wife?" he whispered. "Do I need to hide you away where no one can see what's mine?"

Rey stifled a whine; she liked how this felt, being his. She'd always wanted to belong somewhere; now, she'd found her place. She belonged to him and him to her. His dark eyes were intense, but they didn't frighten her. She knew she was safe; she felt it. "Please don't," she replied, her voice low and husky. She hardly recognized herself.

"Why not? Or are you not mine?"

His lips ghosted over her nipples; a flash of heat settled between her legs, sharp and acute. "Yours," she agreed breathlessly, trying to arch into him. "Poe, _please."_

He gave her a bit of relief, pushing her legs back so he could grind against her sex. "And what am I to do with you?" He bit his lip; she was so slick, her sex begging to be filled. "I don't like others seeing what's mine, Sunshine." He hoped she understood his meaning. The rest of the galaxy got to see Rey Skywalker, the last Jedi, fierce and strong and good. He had to share that Rey with everyone. This Rey, the one writhing under him, begging for him, was his and his alone.

"I didn't…mean to," she gasped, her head falling back. She understood him perfectly; after being alone for so long, she was jealous of the time she got with him. Others wanted what was hers and she didn't like it. Not one bit. "I missed you. Missed you so much."

"That's my girl." He kissed her, sucking greedily on her tongue. She moaned into his mouth as he shifted slightly and slipped his hand between her legs. He teased her swollen nub, circling and stroking; she tried to grind against him, desperate for more friction. The shirt twisted around her arms restricted her movements a little; Rey moaned. Poe ducked to suck a nipple between his lips, causing her to arch in pleasure. She grabbed a fist full of his hair, needing some kind of anchor as he worked her body with the same precision that he flew his X-wing. Pressure built low in her belly; a breathless gasp tumbled from her lips as two fingers slipped inside her.

"Kriffing hell," he swore, her grip on his hair almost painful as drove her closer and closer to the edge. His wife could never have been satisfied with the passionless life of a Jedi. She was full of life and wonder and beauty. She deserved someone who loved and appreciated everything that she was; he was the lucky one who'd won her heart. "Let go for me, sweetheart. I've got you."

He curled his fingers just right and Rey cried out, her high making her body tremble and quake. Poe held her through it, his fingers never ceasing, pumping inside her until she stopped shaking. She whined at the loss of his touch; she watched breathlessly as he licked his fingers clean. His lips then skimmed her forehead. "You're so beautiful falling apart for me, wife."

Rey angled her head so she could taste his lips. Poe groaned softly, his hands sliding down her body. Rey eased him onto his back, smile tugging at her lips. It was her turn to explore him, the hard planes of his chest, the sharp V of his hips. Poe watched as she shrugged out of her borrowed shirt and tossed it aside. He hissed as she took hold of his erection, teasing him with those delicate yet strong hands. "Kriff, Sunshine."

Her hair tickled his skin as she lowered her lips to his skin, kissing and licking a wet path down his chest. She loved touching him, finding new places that made him twitch and moan. Poe twisted the sheets between his fingers as she toyed with him; a loud groan escaped as her mouth ghosted over his cock. He tried to buck his hips off the bed, but he couldn't. She was barely touching him; kriff, she was using the Force to hold him still? Poe had been held against his will before, but never like this. This was gentle yet firm; he felt her love for him across their bond. "Sunshine?"

Rey glanced at him with worried eyes. "Is this okay?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She let out a relieved breath; she hadn't realized she was doing it at first. Once she felt Poe realize it, she was afraid she'd gone too far. "Just tell me if you want me to stop, okay?"

"Okay." Rey returned to her task, licking, nibbling and stroking every inch of him that she could reach. She avoided his cock almost completely, pausing only to lick off the beads of precum that welled on the swollen tip. Being restrained like this only made everything more intense, but Poe was never afraid of her. She only sought to bring him pleasure; it was unlike anything he'd ever experienced with anyone else. He practically vibrated with need, need for her. "Please," he panted, needing to feel her around him once more. "Rey, _please."_

She was just as worked up as he was; her thighs were sticky with her arousal. She kissed him one last time before straddling his hips. She faced away from him, which put her in view of the mirror. Rey nudged it a little to the right with the Force to give her a better view. She didn't quite understand why this was so arousing, but Poe always encouraged her to do what felt good. They both groaned as she ground over his cock; Rey shivered as the firm ridge stroked her just right. "Kriff, Poe, I…" She bit her lip; as amazing as this felt, she needed him inside her. She leaned forward and adjusted the angle of her hips; she took him in her hand and guided him to her. She was so desperate for him that she sank down in one stroke, moaning his name as he filled her. _"Poe."_

He felt it, the moment she released him. Poe gripped her hips firmly, enjoying the view as she rode him steadily. "Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop," he muttered, his head falling back to the bed. She felt so good; he didn't care if he was begging. Being with her was everything.

Rey leaned back, her hands braced on either side of his chest as she rode him, harder, faster. Her eyes were focused on the mirror, watching his cock disappear inside her over and over. She felt him squeeze her ass; she moaned loudly. _"Gods."_

As incredible as this felt, he wanted to see her when they fell over the edge. Poe pushed himself up and wrapped his arms around her waist. He could see them now too; his eyes dropped to where they were joined. "Like this, wife?" he asked, one hand trailing down her belly.

"Y-y-yes," she breathed, her body trembling in anticipation of his touch.

He deftly circled her clit, both watching as he touched her. Rey climaxed almost immediately, undone by the erotic display. Her walls fluttered and clenched rhythmically around his cock; Poe breathed deeply to stave off his own climax. Before she could fully come down, he flipped them; Rey arched as he filled her again. She bit her lip, shivering as her husband pinned her hands above her head. She could have gotten away if she really wanted to, but she was too far gone in a haze of lust and love and need as he took her with rough strokes. Skin smacked together; Poe grunted every time he bottomed out inside her. Rey hovered on the edge of bliss, trapped under her lover's hard body, desperate to come one last time. Poe reached his peak first, burying his face in her neck as he trembled and shook. She felt him inside her; his climax triggered hers. She scored her blunt nails down his back, making him hiss. "Kriff, Sunshine."

They stayed like that for a while, Rey not minding his weight pressing her into the mattress, despite the heat. His lips skimmed her damp brow just before he rolled off her; Rey let out a shuddering breath. "You okay?" he asked.

"Mmhmm."

Poe kissed her knuckles. "Love you."

She floated in bliss until the need to get cleaned up became imperative. "Be right back," she promised. She dashed to the fresher, used the toilet, washed her hands and ran back. Poe was exactly where she'd left him, stretched out on the bed, looking thoroughly content. It was warm in the room still, though the sun was starting to set. She snuggled up beside him, not bothering with the blanket. "Are you okay?"

"Me, sweetheart? I'm fine."

"Sure?"

He looked down at her. "You would know if I wasn't. I trust you." He kissed the top of her head. "Some warning next time, might be nice though."

She laughed, relieved. "Next time?"

"I think you're underestimating how much I enjoyed that."

She kissed him, sighing as he pulled her closer. "Sorry I took you from your project."

"I'm not. I'll take being with you over fixing a busted compressor any day, mi amor."

"I'll help you," she murmured, stifling a yawn.

He chuckled. "Sleepy again? We're wearing each other out."

"You definitely need the sleep, husband."

"Yeah, if I'm going to keep up with my young insatiable wife."

She lightly smacked his chest. "Hey."

"What? It's certainly not a complaint." He kissed her forehead. "I'm just glad you have a taste for older men."

It was her turn to flush. "I thought we were past that."

"Doesn't mean I can't tease you about it when we're alone." He tightened his arms around her. "I love you so much, Rey."

"Love you too, Poe." She was a sleepy again; it was hot, and he was comfortable. After a nap, they could eat and go back to the shed to fix the compressor.

* * *

"Rey?" Poe carried a basket with him, filled with more treats from the wedding feast. He was glad Kes had left behind so much food; Poe could cook reasonably well, but he didn't want to take the time. Spending time with his wife was much higher on his priority list. They were only going to get so many hours of domestic bliss before the galaxy demanded their attention once more.

He expected there to be more of a change once they were married. But Poe had been right; they'd really been married already. Perhaps it was a testament to how well he and Rey were suited, that marriage felt the same as before. Not that he would change anything about the wedding itself. Magical was really the only word he had for it. The sight of Rey as she turned that corner; he still got goosebumps every time he thought about it. And he couldn't thank her enough for her gift, though he did try. He understood the power of a kyber crystal; this one was special because it was hers.

He found her under the Force tree, the area now cleared of wedding trappings. "There you are."

She sat cross legged under the tree, smiling as her husband appeared. "Is that food?"

"Yep. Hungry?"

"Starving actually."

"Good." He sat the basket down and shook out the blanket he had tucked under his arm. They spent a few minutes arranging the food between them, occasionally sharing the same goofy grin. Neither could shake the pure happiness they felt, not that they wanted to. "Meditating?"

"Yeah."

"Do you feel more centered?"

"Hmm, a little bit."

"Yeah?"

"I can think of one other thing that would help."

"Anything I can do?"

"Kiss me?"

He grinned that rakish grin that made her weak in the knees. "With pleasure." He leaned over, touching his lips to hers. She hummed in content, missing him as soon as he pulled away. "Patience, Master Jedi," he teased.

"Hilarious, coming from the most impatient man in the Resistance."

"I think I'm very patient. I waited for you, didn't I?"

"As you like to remind me, it's only been weeks, Poe. _Weeks _since we were last here."

Poe tilted his head, taking her hand in his. "Rey, I've waited my whole life for you. You know about the past, the people I've loved and lost." Her eyes dropped; he hated that she could doubt her worthiness, even after everything they've been through. "Hey, look at me." She did so. "As much as the past hurt, all of that led me here. To you. You heard what Maz said. What we have is rare and special, Sunshine. Just like you. Nothing that has ever happened to me compares to this. That's why I married you. That's why I'll love you every day for the rest of my life. And beyond."

A tear slid down her cheek. She never expected to be loved so completely. But the Force brought Poe into her life. She would forever be grateful. She leaned forward, kissing him. "I am your guardian," she whispered.

"And I am yours." Those were their vows to each other, the ones that mattered. Rey moved so she was sitting next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder as he piled a plate with food. Rey was starving; they ate in companionable silence for a bit, offering each other bites of food.

"Do you think we'll be able to do this in the future?"

"Do what, Sunshine?"

"Enjoy quiet moments like this? We've both got so much going on…"

"We will make time for this," he promised. "It'll be easier after our house is built."

"Is it weird that I love it already? I saw it in your vision and it's…perfect."

"I'm glad you like it. But no vision is set in stone. We can build it however you want."

"However _we_ want, husband," she corrected.

His smile made her heart skip a beat. "I am never going to get tired of hearing you say that."

"That sounds like a challenge."

"Only you would think of that as a challenge." He had an idea. "Here, how about this?" He laid the empty plate aside and got up on his knees. He searched the ground for a sturdy branch. "Let's decide right now."

"Decide what?"

"How we want our house laid out. We can draw it in the dirt, then re-draw it back at the house. It'll feel more real, I think." As happy as he was, even he sometimes wondered if he was going to wake up and find all this to be a dream.

"Poe…"

"Come on. It'll be fun."

Rey looked skeptical, but she agreed. They found a relatively clear patch of dirt. It had been a long time since Rey played in the dirt if she ever had. Poe was very enthusiastic, brushing his curls out of his face every few minutes as he darted around drawing lines in the dirt. "I thought we could have our bedroom here," he said, pointing to one section. "Facing east maybe? Since you like rising with the sun."

"You hate it though." It was an old habit; one had to rise early on Jakku if they were going to get the best haul to bring back to Unkar. Though lately, her sleep patterns had been all over the place, between the mission, her being unconscious and their honeymoon. She didn't say anything though.

"We'll have thick curtains. I'll be fine."

"How close to the water?"

"Not too close, since that stream's been known to flood." They might have to cut down some trees to get the house away from the riverbank, but it was too beautiful of a location to pass up. He was grateful that Rey didn't mind living so close to his dad; Kes wasn't getting any younger. His dad was fit for a man his age, but Poe wanted to be there for him, whenever Kes did need them.

"Can we make it so we can see the stream?"

"Of course." He redrew where the stream was in relation to the building. "How's that?" When Rey nodded her agreement, he moved on to the living areas and kitchen. He could already imagine them there, enjoying a life of domesticity between adventures. He was surprised how much that appealed to him. For so long when he was younger, he wanted nothing more than to get off this moon. Then he did and got a bitter taste of how things actually were in the galaxy. He returned home, but he left again because he wanted to make a difference. Years later, here he was again, on Yavin IV, making plans to build a home with his _wife._

"Should we have more than one bedroom?" Rey asked.

Poe bit his lip. "We could do that. Like a guest room?"

"Or a nursery?" she asked, hesitating a little over the word.

"Rey…" The last thing he wanted was for her to feel any pressure because of his vision.

She closed the space between them, cupping his cheeks. "It's okay, Poe."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "You know I just need you, right? I know you and I would make the best kids in the whole galaxy, but you're my Sunshine."

"I know and I love you for it." He kissed him sweetly. "But like you said, we'd make some pretty amazing kids. Maybe not right away…"

"No, it's way too soon," he agreed. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her against his chest. "I promised to show you the galaxy; I intend to keep that promise."

She inhaled his scent; she always felt safest in his arms. "I can't wait."

He kissed the top of her head. He wished they could leave now. Just hop on the Falcon and leave all this behind. But they couldn't. It wasn't who either of them was. They would see this through, then take a long vacation. "You'll be a great mother, Rey," he whispered.

"How do you know?"

"Because I've seen it." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Back on Coruscant, with Anli, Ranne and Yife. You were so good with them. And I've seen you here. Those girls follow you around, you know. You're their hero."

Rey flushed. She didn't think she was doing anything extraordinary. "I hope so. I want to be."

"We'll be in it together, mi amor, just like everything else."

"Then maybe we should have a few more bedrooms."

"A few, huh?" he asked with a grin.

"I just thought…"

"No, that sounds amazing." Both he and Rey were only children; Poe never asked why his parents didn't have any more after him. Rey's parents had died when she was young. Being an only child could be lonely. He didn't want that for their family. He was happy Rey was thinking along the same lines.

It was starting to get dark; the blue light from the Force tree made her pale skin glow. "We should probably head inside," she murmured.

"Last one to the house has to clean up?"

"You're on." They raced to clean up their picnic, then dashed off in the direction of the house. Poe had the basket bouncing against his leg, but he ignored it. He pushed himself hard, but he and Rey were neck and neck almost the whole way. She got there first by two steps; Poe leaned over, hands on his thighs, his lungs burning from the humid air.

"Not fair," he panted.

"Why? Because I won?"

"You used the Force," he accused.

"I did not. You're just slow, old man."

"I'll give you slow…" Rey let out a giggle as he pressed her against the door and kissed her senseless. She relaxed against him, enjoying being caged between him and the door.

The sound of a speeder got their attention; Poe groaned in frustration. They still had two days left, damn it. Maybe it was just someone passing through; maybe they were lost. Reluctantly, Poe moved back, running his fingers through his curls to tame them a bit. His wife had a bit of _thing_ for his hair, which he thought was amusing.

Rey hopped off the porch; she had a strange feeling. The speeder came into view; a cloaked figure sat upon it. Instantly on alert, Rey held out her hand, summoning her lightsaber. It zoomed into her hand through the open window. "Stay back," she said to Poe.

"Not a chance." He didn't have his blaster, but he certainly wasn't leaving her alone if she thought there was a threat.

"Poe, I'm serious."

"So am I." He did stand slightly behind her, one of his father's rakes in his hands. Not the best weapon, but better than nothing.

Before they could argue the point again, the speeder came to a stop in the yard. The hooded figure stared in Rey's direction for what felt like forever; her strange feeling intensified. "Who are you?" she demanded.

Instead of answering her, the figure leaped nimbly from the speeder. The wind swept the hood from their head, revealing a face she knew, though older than when she'd last seen it. "Ezra?"

Poe nearly dropped the rake. This was Ezra Bridger? He'd believed Rey, of course he did. But seeing the lost Jedi in the flesh, standing in front of them, threw him.

Ezra's hair was grayer than it had been in the World between Worlds, she'd noticed. His face carried more lines and care too. He looked like he'd been on a long journey. Still, he smiled in relief. "Hello, Rey."

Rey blinked, astounded. Here, she'd thought that she needed to find _him_, but instead, Ezra had found _her._ "How?"

"I did as you and Master Qui-Gon suggested," he said simply. "I went home."

"But—and no offense—you seem…"

"Older?" Ezra laughed dryly. "When you enter the World between Worlds, you should only exit from the same time you entered, or you could inadvertently change the past. Believe me, I know." He'd saved Ahsoka from death at Vader's hands, but she still needed to return to that time, lest she do irreparable harm to the timeline. He'd asked her to find him when she caught up to him. Through Rey, he knew that Ahsoka was out there, with Sabine, looking for him. It had been a terrible burden, not searching for them in return, but he knew Rey was the one he needed to find. She was the key to the future.

Rey clipped her saber to her belt; her heart was still racing, but Ezra wasn't a threat. Belatedly, she recalled her husband, standing behind her. "Ah, Ezra, I'd like you to meet my husband, General Poe Dameron."

Ezra blinked. "Husband?"

Poe stepped forward, his hand outstretched. "We got married a few days ago." He kept his voice pleasant but firm; he would not stand for this guy shaming Rey for her choice to marry him. Poe wasn't sure what Ezra's stance on such things was, but as Kanan's apprentice, he had to be somewhat progressive, right?

Ezra shook the younger man's hand, trying to wrap his brain around this. Kanan had been pretty clear that the Jedi believed attachments were best avoided, but he'd seen the way this man cared for Rey. And Ezra had seen with his own eyes how Kanan cared for Hera. "I must be interrupting," Ezra said finally. "Apologies."

Rey shared a look with Poe; she was disappointed their makeshift honeymoon came to such an abrupt end, but Ezra's appearance changed everything. And she'd been right! The World between Worlds was _real. _It was nice to know she wasn't going crazy or dreaming. "How did you find me?"

Ezra laughed. "That is rather a long story."

"Come inside," Poe said. "You can recount it over a drink."

The trio headed inside, settling around the kitchen table. Poe got a sense of déjà vu; had it only a couple of months since he and Rey first arrived on Yavin and sat around this table telling Kes all about their adventures?

"Where did you come back to?" Rey asked, accepting her drink from her husband. "I came back here, but it was probably different for you."

"Lothal. There was a room in the old Jedi temple there that had an access point to the World between Worlds. It was how I saved Ahsoka from Vader."

Rey frowned; that only gave her more questions not less. But she allowed Ezra to continue. Lothal was his home planet; he quickly discovered that he'd returned to the same year he left. That had been twenty years ago. As he told the story, Rey studied him. Ezra looked to be around Master Luke's age when he died. He was definitely older than he'd been in the World between Worlds. He'd been in hiding for twenty years? Searching for a clue regarding Rey's whereabouts? He didn't search for his friends? Rey didn't know if she could do that. She imagined being separated from Poe and Finn for decades. She shuddered. Poe seemed to sense her unease; he rubbed her back soothingly.

"You two remind me of Hera and Kanan," Ezra said quietly.

"Speaking of Hera, we need to tell her you're back," Rey said. "She'll want to know."

"She's on Lothal, which isn't far from here," Poe added.

"How do you know?"

"Because she volunteered to go there after Exegol to root out a First Order cell. She became a general, during the Civil War."

Ezra grinned. "Of course, she did. She was the best pilot I ever saw."

"Poe's the best pilot in the Resistance," Rey said proudly.

"Hera was one of my hero's as a kid. My mom flew with the Rebels too."

Rey could sense Ezra's unease. "She never stopped wondering what happened to you, Ezra. You can't leave her in the dark."

"No, no, you're right." Ezra sighed. "I've missed her. All of them, really. They were my family."

Rey slipped her hand into Poe's; he squeezed gently. She knew all about discovering that family meant more than the people you were related to by blood. Poe and Finn were her family, along with Rose and Chewie and Leia. "We can go with you. To Lothal, I mean."

Poe nodded. "As the general, I should probably check in personally. Just in case anyone asks."

"You would do that?"

"Of course, we would," Rey said. "You could show me the temple."

"It's mostly ruins now."

"Still, there might be something useful. If I'm going to rebuild the Order, I'm going to need more than the ancient Jedi texts to go on. And I could use some help?"

Ezra blinked. "You have ancient Jedi texts?"

"Luke found them, and took them to the original Jedi temple. We also have a few of the holocrons that survived the Jedi purge. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."

Ezra took a sip of his drink. "You really think you can bring back the Jedi?" The Force told him that this girl was important, the key, but he'd seen too much of the galaxy. He was no longer that hopeful padawan he'd been. During the battle with Thrawn, he thought he was sacrificing himself for the greater good like Kanan did. He felt like he'd finally found his purpose. When he realized he _wasn't_ dead, he had no idea what to do. Initially, he tried to get back to his friends, but without a ship, it was harder than he expected. It was impossible to even tell where in the galaxy he'd wound up. He still wasn't sure how he'd got to the World between Worlds, but he was a little ashamed to admit that he gave up. He could see glimpses of his family occasionally; they seemed to be doing fine without him. So, he stayed. He remained there until this girl appeared and reminded him of what was important.

"I want to try," Rey said. "Not the Jedi as they were before the Civil War. That way is flawed, wouldn't you agree?"

Ezra ignored that. "You seem to already be forging your own path."

Rey leaned forward, her voice even. "The Jedi used to believe that attachments, emotions, were the path to the Dark Side. But they don't have to be. I am stronger with the love I have for the people in my life. And theirs for me. Ezra, when I faced the Emperor, they were all with me. If rejecting that is the only way to be a Jedi, then the Jedi should die." She'd balked when Master Luke had said those words to her on Ahch-To, but now she understood. The Jedi _had _lost their way by rejecting the very thing that made them powerful. Connection. Not just a connection to the Force, but a connection to the very beings they were meant to serve. The only path forward was to embrace it. Leia taught her that. She would honor her master's memory by living her life to the fullest.

For Rey, that meant having love and family alongside her duty as a Jedi. The two were not mutually exclusive.

"Sunshine…"

"Poe, my duty as a Jedi is to pass on what I've learned. I've learned so much since Beebee-Ate found me on Jakku. I learned how to be a friend from Finn. I learned how to be part of something bigger than myself from Leia. Luke taught me that failure doesn't mean you stop trying. But you've taught me the greatest lesson of all."

"What's that?"

"Never give up on the people you love. You believe in me even when I don't believe in myself. I don't want to do any of this without you, Poe."

Poe swallowed roughly around the lump in his throat. He loved her so much, but he'd never been prouder than he was in this moment. He couldn't wait for the rest of their lives together. He leaned over and kissed her chastely. "Love you," he whispered.

Ezra studied the pair, curiously. It seemed to go against everything he was taught, but perhaps Rey was right. "Alright," he said at last. "I'll do whatever I can, Rey. Though I'm not sure how much help I can be."

Rey smiled. "Thanks, Ezra."

It was late; they decided it would be better to get a fresh start in the morning. Ezra had been traveling nonstop for years, searching for Rey. Rey made up the guest room for him while Poe contacted the base. He did so with a heavy heart; he'd hoped for a _little _more time with his wife. But they had the rest of their lives together; he would just have to be patient.

Finn answered the comm. "Poe? What's going on? We didn't expect to hear from you this soon!"

"Something's come up. Rey and I are going to Lothal in the morning. Not sure how long we'll be gone."

"Lothal? Why?"

Rey hadn't told Finn about the World between Worlds; Poe didn't have the energy to explain. Besides, that was Rey's story to tell. "Do you want the official story or the real one? Mind you, the real one is something I've still wrapping my brain around." He didn't think he'd ever fully understand it; the Force certainly enjoyed confusing the hell out of him. But it was part of being married to a Jedi, he supposed.

"Better give me the official one," Finn said. "Though I'm gonna want the real one eventually, Dameron."

Poe rattled off his official excuse for visiting the Resistance outpost that Hera's team had set up. The moment his honeymoon was supposed to be over, people would be looking for him. The Council, certainly. Finn believed he might have found the key to the stormtroopers' missing families with the information from the Mon Calamari. There were still pockets of First Order diehards out there, causing trouble. Poe's priority was Operation Python because those bastards were a direct threat to Rey. They'd already tried to kill her once. Only a fool would think they wouldn't try again.

Still, the day hadn't been a waste. He really enjoyed mapping out their home together. He could still feel Rey's shy joy when she announced that she wanted to have kids someday. He knew motherhood still scared her a little, but he _knew_ she'd be the best mom. She already was. She looked after their droids, Finn, Poe, Kes, the Iktotchi children. He could picture her with a gaggle of padawans at her feet, mesmerized by her.

Inspired, he got out a datapad. He carefully re-drew everything he could remember about their little house by the water. It wasn't necessarily his forte, but for Rey, he did his best. She was so excited for them to have a home of their own. It actually broke his heart a little, because she'd never had that. He'd had a stable safe place to grow up; as much grief as he undoubtedly gave Kes, Poe knew that he was lucky. He wanted to give Rey that, some place for them to come home to after each adventure. She deserved that.

He was still working on the drawings when his wife returned. "What are you up to?"

"Working on the plans for our house, Mrs. Dameron."

Rey smiled; he didn't call her that often, but she thought it was cute. It was just between them; Poe made it clear that she could use whatever name she liked. While she wouldn't mind being Rey Dameron, she'd chosen Skywalker for a reason. "And how's that coming, Mr. Dameron?"

Poe wrinkled his nose. "Oh Sunshine, Mr. Dameron's my dad. It sounds weird."

"General Dameron then? Poe? Flyboy? I don't have as many names for you." She crawled onto her side of the bed and glanced over his shoulder. "This looks more elaborate than I remember."

"Well, we were drawing it in the dirt." He turned his head and kissed her temple. "Our guest situated?"

"Yeah." She wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing gently. "I'm so sorry about this, Poe."

"You didn't do anything, mi amor."

"It seems like Jedi stuff always interrupts our life. I wanted this time with you, without all…that."

"You can't stop being who you are. I love you. Jedi stuff, as you put it, is part of the deal. I knew that when I married you, Rey." He brought her hand to his lips. "The galaxy was going to catch us eventually. Apparently, people seem to think we're important."

She smiled into his shoulder. He was being very upbeat about this, despite the disappointment. "When things settle down, can we just get away for a while? Just the two of us?"

"Beebee-Ate and Dio might not like that."

"We'll get Finn to watch them."

"I like the way you think." He added a bit to his sketch. "If we're thinking about multiple bedrooms, we might want to consider a second floor. What do you think?"

They spent over an hour discussing it. Poe had been right, Rey mused. Seeing it come together on the datapad did make it feel real. She and Poe would have a home of their own. A place to get away from the demands on them, a place to (eventually) raise their family. Poe was so cute when they imagined their children; she knew without a doubt that those children would be loved. Loved and cherished and everything she'd missed. She knew now that her initial reluctance came from a place of fear. But loving Poe, creating a life with him, she wasn't afraid of that. Not anymore.

Poe laid the datapad aside. "It's getting late, sweetheart."

"I don't want to go to sleep," she confessed.

"Why not?"

"Because when we wake up, we'll be leaving."

Poe kissed the top of her head tenderly. "I know it's not what we wanted, but we've got the rest of our lives together. You married me, remember?"

She glanced down at her ring. "As if I could ever forget it."

"Me too." He kissed her chastely. "Let's get some sleep, wife. We've got a long day ahead of us."

* * *

"Coming up on Lothal."

Rey checked the telemetry, nodding in agreement. "Taking us off autopilot." The Millennium Falcon's computer could have taken them in, but Rey liked flying manually. Poe made no protest about the co-pilot's seat the entire trip, which Rey thought was curious. She knew he respected her as a pilot, but she could sense his reluctance.

"The last time I sat in that seat, I was worried sick," he said quietly, as if he could sense her thoughts. "Not keen to relive that any time soon."

She reached over and squeezed his hand. Poe had seen a lot of terrible things in his life, but seeing the woman he loved unconscious, seemingly lifeless, rattled him. Other than flying the Falcon back to Yavin IV, he never left her side; he still had nightmares about it.

She guided the ship into one of the main spaceports; this was where Ezra had grown up. They hadn't told Hera they were coming; Rey didn't know how to explain over a holo. She thought this was better. The small Resistance base was on the edge of the city; Rey spotted the Ghost sitting on the tarmac.

"It looks exactly the same."

Rey and Poe both turned, surprised to see Ezra there. He'd been reluctant to sit in the cockpit with them; Rey thought it best to leave him alone. This had to be difficult for him. She couldn't imagine what she'd be feeling under similar circumstances.

"Is that…Chopper?"

Rey nodded. "Yep. He's a cantankerous droid, isn't he?" Chopper was surlier than R2-D2 and that was saying something.

Ezra laughed. "He may be, but he's also the best. Got us out of more tough spots than I can count."

Rey landed the freighter gently and went through the shut down procedures. Several people were looking up in awe at the old ship; Rey saw a few wave. Once the ship was secure, she and Poe exited the cockpit and joined Ezra at the gangway. "Ready?"

"Maybe you two should go first."

Rey nodded. She pressed the controls to the ramp and started down, Poe right behind her. "Master Skywalker!" a voice called. "General Dameron! We weren't expecting you!"

Poe accepted the young soldier's salute. "Nothing's wrong, soldier. We're looking for General Syndulla. She around?"

"I'll fetch her!" The young man took off, but Rey saw Chopper approaching. He said that Hera was fixing some damage to the Ghost. Rey and Poe headed that way, Ezra in tow. The older Jedi was once again hooded and cloaked; Rey didn't understand why. Was he still nervous about being reunited with his family? When Rey landed on Ajan Kloss after the battle, all she wanted was to see Poe and Finn.

"Hera?" Poe called. "It's Poe. And Rey."

The Twi'lek appeared, rubbing grease off her hands. "Hello, you two. I hear congratulations are in order?"

Rey smiled. "Yeah." She showed Hera her ring. "A few days ago."

"I'm sorry we had to miss it."

"How's everything here?" Poe asked.

"There are a few stragglers in the caves, but Lothal's government has sent representatives to the convention."

"That's good work, General."

Hera glanced away. "I told you that my general days were long gone." After a pause, she spoke again. "Now I know you didn't come here for your honeymoon. What's going on?"

Rey stepped forward. "Hera, we, uh, have someone here that we think you'll want to meet."

Hera looked confused and a bit wary. She glanced over Ezra's cloaked form. "Who?"

Another pause, weighted and tense. Then Ezra stepped forward and lowered his hood. "Hello, Hera."

Hera narrowed her eyes, trying to take in the sight before her. The man looked vaguely familiar…wait. The scars on his cheek. "Force…_Ezra?"_

"It's me, Hera."

"But…but…_how?"_ She felt like she was seeing a ghost. She thought Ezra was dead. She mourned him. Sabine and Ahsoka believed he was still out there, but Hera, ever pragmatic, knew she couldn't live her life that way. She had Jacen to take care of; she'd already lost too many that she cared about.

"It's a long story," Ezra began, but he got cut off when Hera hugged him tightly. Ezra hugged her back, thankful to be home. "I missed you, Hera. I missed everyone so much."

"I can't believe you're here."

"Mom, what's going on? Oh."

Ezra and Hera broke apart; the former blinking in surprise. "Kanan?"

Hera's hand flew to her mouth. She hadn't thought it possible for her heart to break all over again, but seeing Ezra mistake her son for his father was too much. She staggered, unable to speak; Jacen was there in an instant, holding his mother. "Kanan was my father," he said quietly to the stranger. "Who are you?"

"Jacen," Rey said, stepping forward, "this is Ezra Bridger." Her heart broke for everyone; this family was missing a vital piece because of the evil her grandfather had wrought.

"Oh Force," Jacen replied, color draining from his face. "You're him. You're Dad's apprentice."

Ezra scrubbed his hand over his face, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. The man looked almost exactly like Kanan. Except for the hair, which was green. Kanan and Hera had a _child?_ Ezra blanched; a child Kanan never got to meet. If Ezra had known…he'd failed his master. His master had a son! He should have been there. Even from here, Ezra could tell the man was Force sensitive, like his father. Kanan was Ezra's second father; he missed him dearly. He could have trained this boy, or at least, tried to.

"I am so sorry, Hera," Ezra whispered. "I didn't know."

"How did you even get here?" Jacen demanded. "Mom said you were dead. Something about space whales…"

Poe tugged gently on Rey's hand. "We should give them a minute," he whispered. It felt like they were intruding; Poe hadn't realized that Ezra didn't know about Jacen. He supposed it made sense, but he and Rey didn't belong in this family moment.

Rey followed him without a word; they slipped deeper into the hangar, so they were out of earshot. Poe sat on a crate, urging Rey to sit beside him. She curled into his side, sadness heavy on her heart. Poe wrapped his arms around her, rocking her gently. "It's not your fault," he murmured.

"Kanan died fighting the Empire," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. "He robbed Jacen of his father. He tore Kanan away from the woman he loved. It's not right."

Poe knew she meant Palpatine. He didn't think he could hate anyone more than he hated Kylo Ren, but the Emperor was getting close. Rey had such a kind heart; it was hard to believe she was in any way related to such evil. One man had wrought so much destruction; it took several generations to finally defeat him. In the end, it wasn't a fleet of ships or a ground assault. It was one girl. One incredibly brave and selfless woman, facing her only blood kin to rid the galaxy of the last of the Sith.

Poe hated that she could feel in any way responsible for her grandfather's deeds. She hadn't even been born when the Empire was created; until his mission to Jakku, she'd been an innocent, just trying to survive. His wife was so strong, stronger than she thought she was. She might have lived out her life there, alone and unloved. For Poe, that was the greater tragedy. No one deserved to be loved more than Rey.

Rey clung to her husband, allowing his steady heartbeat to soothe her. She wished she could make things right somehow, but there was no way to undo the past. They could only move forward. Poe squeezed her shoulder. "Feel better?"

"A little." She kissed his scruffy cheek. "I hate that he can still affect me, even though he's gone."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't care. That shows that you're nothing like him."

They remained there as the little outpost continued to move around them. Most beings took little to no notice of them, for which Rey was grateful. Her stomach growled; she was about to suggest they go back to the Falcon when Poe's comm went off. He arched a brow at Rey and switched it on. "Dameron."

"Master Poe!" C-3PO exclaimed. "Is Mistress Rey with you?"

"I'm here, Threepio," Rey said, leaning forward. "What's wrong?"

"I'm terribly sorry for the intrusion, but Master Finn said that you'd gone to Lothal."

"We're still here, Threepio," Poe said, trying not to be annoyed. He respected the hell out of the droid for surviving this long, but it also got on his nerves with its constant worrying. "Is something really, really wrong or are you just being a worrywart?"

"I am never a worrywart, as you say, sir. I am merely calculating probabilities."

"Threepio," Rey cut in before Poe could snark at the droid again, "just tell us what's going on."

"I'm afraid that my counterpart is having another flutter. You know how unreliable these older astromechs are." They heard Artoo beep indignantly in the background; Poe smiled at the droid's colorful language.

"What sort of flutter?"

"He says he's got a mission from Master Luke. Which is impossible, of course. But he insisted we contact you, Mistress Rey."

Rey exchanged glance with Poe. He knew about Force ghosts from long conversations with his wife; if Luke's faithful droid said he had a mission from Luke, then Poe was more willing to believe it than he would have been a few weeks ago. "What sort of mission?"

"He's being quite stubborn and unwilling to tell me."

Rey made a decision. "Okay, load Artoo, Beebee-Ate, Dio and yourself into a ship, Threepio. We'll have one of the cargo pilots bring you here. Then we can decide what to do." She didn't want to leave Lothal until she'd had a chance to speak to Ezra again. And possibly Jacen. Poe had told her that Hera thought he wouldn't want to learn about the Force, but Rey had never asked Jacen directly. He might be willing to help her alongside Ezra.

She needed all the help she could get.

"It'll take them hours to get here," Poe pointed out.

"Which means we have time to catch up with old friends." She nodded toward the Ghost; Hera walked down the ramp, her back straight and her eyes dry, with Ezra and Jacen right behind her.

She walked over to Poe and Rey. "Thank you," she said to Rey. "I'm still not totally clear on what you did, but you helped Ezra find his way home."

Rey hopped off the crate and hugged the older woman. "He helped me too."

"Can you two stay?"

"For a while," Poe said. "Officially, I'm here to get your report, General."

Hera smiled. "And unofficially?"

"To see a friend. Or two," he added, nodding to Jacen. The man still looked a bit stunned, not that Poe blamed him. This was a lot to take in all at once.

Hera led them into the hangar. They'd created a small mess for the team Hera had created; it was bigger than the one she'd left Ajan Kloss with. "Locals," she said when Poe asked her about it. "They've helped with scouting and some skirmishes."

He nodded approvingly. "I keep telling the Council that the best way to combat the remnants of the First Order is to engage with the local populations. Otherwise, it'll just feel like another invasion."

"You sound a bit like my father."

Over a meager dinner, they caught up on everyone's news. Poe and Rey had the biggest with the wedding. Rey promised to find some holos from the event, though she felt guilty about being so happy when Hera was mourning her lost love all over again. Hera seemed happy for them though. Jacen was quiet as Ezra recounted some of the places he'd been, things he'd seen.

At one point, Hera scolded him like a child and Jacen stood abruptly. Hera started to rise, but Rey stood. "Maybe I could talk to him?" Hera nodded; Rey gave Poe a reassuring smile before she hurried off after her friend. "Jacen?"

He was headed for the Ghost, but he stopped. "I'm not the best company right now, Rey."

"I can't imagine how this must be for you."

Jacen sighed. "She treats him…like a son. He's been gone, presumed dead for decades, and just shows up. Mom needed him and he was just _gone. _Worse, he thought I was my dad. Everyone says I look like him, but I've never seen my mother so upset."

"She misses your dad a lot."

"I never got to meet him. I appreciate what you did, Rey. Ezra means a lot to her. But all it's done is remind her that my dad's still gone."

"_No one's ever really gone."_

Both Rey and Jacen looked up, shocked. Rey knew the voice, but she still couldn't believe what her eyes were telling her. "Kanan?"

Jacen looked like he might faint. "D-d-dad?"

Kanan Jarrus stood before them, in the familiar blue glow of a Force ghost. He looked much as he had in life, more rogue than Jedi. He was handsome; Rey could see why Hera would be drawn to him. "Hello, son."

"Rey, please tell me you're seeing this too."

"I am." She turned to Kanan. "How?"

"We can choose how we become one with the Force, Rey of Jakku." Kanan turned to his son, his features softening. When he spoke, Rey could hear the heartbreak in his voice. "I knew," he explained softly. "I knew your mother was carrying you, even before she did. I had to make sure she survived. I am so sorry I wasn't there for you, Jacen. But I am very proud of the man you've become."

Tears splashed on Jacen's cheek. "I'm not a Jedi."

"There are many ways to serve the Force, Jacen. Unlike me, you still have time. If you choose."

Rey glanced back; no one else seemed to see the blue glowing man in front of her. "Ezra…"

"Found his way home, I know," Kanan finished. "He was lost for too long."

"Mom," Jacen said suddenly. "She'll want to see you…"

"She cannot, son. Believe me, there is nothing I would love more, but some things are not meant to be." Kanan looked so sad; Rey's heart broke for him. She couldn't imagine being parted from Poe in such a way. "But I am always with you both. I love you so much."

"I love you, Dad."

Kanan looked like he wanted to reach for his son, but he knew he couldn't. "Rey, you have a daunting mission ahead of you." He smiled. "But you have a good partner. Don't make the mistake I did."

She held up her hand, showing off her ring. "We won't."

Kanan's smile widened. "Master Yoda won't like it. Well done."

Rey blushed. "Thanks."

"May the Force be with you both." Kanan started to turn, then stopped. "Tell Ezra that I'm proud of him."

"We will."

Once Kanan disappeared, Jacen sagged. "Did that just happen? Or was I hallucinating?"

"It happened."

"What mission was he talking about?"

Before Rey could answer, Poe appeared. "Sunshine, you're not gonna believe this…" He frowned, concern all over his handsome face. "What's wrong?"

"We saw Kanan. He was a Force ghost."

Poe blinked in surprise. "That's…you're okay? You both look pretty shaken."

She wanted to tell him all about it, but not in front of Jacen. He was having a hard enough time as it was. "We're okay. Now what am I not going to believe?"

"It can wait." He gathered her in his arms, hugging her tightly. She wasn't scared, just shocked. And why did she have the feeling that Master Luke's mission was the same one Kanan spoke of? What plan did the Jedi of old have for her? She wasn't sure, but she wasn't going anywhere until she figured it out.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's note: **Hurrah for another update! We're officially in the back half of this beast, so buckle up! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Chapter 19**

Poe jogged up the gangway of the Falcon, hoping to find his wife. He could feel her wariness; she was bracing herself for a fight. Was this mysterious mission that Threepio spoke of? She'd confided to him what Kanan had said, away from the others. While the idea of irking the legendary Yoda amused him, Poe was starting not to trust these Jedi of old. What more could they possibly ask of Rey? She'd done something none of them had been able to do, not even when there were tens of thousands of Jedi knights.

She ended the Sith, once and for all.

For Poe, that would have been enough. As far as he was concerned, she didn't owe the galaxy a damn thing. She'd saved them all, given them a chance to get things right. If he thought she would be happy living far away from all this, then he'd do everything he could to make it so. Her happiness was his only goal. Yet, he knew her well enough to know that Rey could never sit by and not help if it were in her power. She was the most powerful being in the galaxy; she had to help. It was just her nature.

It was one of the things he loved about her.

Yet, they'd barely gotten a chance to _breathe_ since their visit to Tatooine. The war was over, yet everything around them moved at a whirlwind pace. Their honeymoon was the most peaceful and happy three days of his adult life. He hated that it had been cut short by the will of the Force. He hated it for her, most of all; she would always put her responsibility of being a Jedi ahead of herself.

"Sunshine?" He headed straight for the captain's quarters; sure enough, he found Rey hunched over one of the ancient Jedi texts. "Rey?"

She looked up, her fingers marking her place. "Hey."

"The droids'll be here within the hour."

"That's good."

"Reading anything interesting?"

She sighed. "I've read these books over a dozen times, combed through them for guidance and wisdom, but…"

"They're not as helpful as you hoped?"

She shook her head. Poe joined her on the floor, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She sighed again, leaning back against him. The book fell into her lap as her husband began rubbing the back of her neck with his thumbs. She closed her eyes, focusing on his soothing touch. She couldn't tell him how much it meant to her that he just seemed to _know _what she needed. Her mind was going in a thousand directions at once, trying to parse out what her mission was. Had Master Luke put this into motion before his death? That didn't seem likely; when she'd left Ahch-To, she'd been angry and certain of her mission to turn Ben Solo back to the light.

Did it involve the return of the Order? That felt like the most likely answer, but why now? According to Leia, it had taken Luke years to found his training temple. Leia had been his first apprentice; after she rejected the Jedi path, he'd been reluctant to take on another. He spent his time researching the Jedi, searching for anything and everything he could find. Where were those artifacts now? They weren't on Ahch-To. All Rey had found were the books. The books were invaluable, but Rey still felt lost. It was why she'd been so excited to find the lost holocrons. She wanted to take her time and really dig into them, much like Luke had after the Empire had fallen. Luke traveled for over a decade before Leia begged him to take Ben as his apprentice.

If Luke Skywalker couldn't get the Order on solid footing after a decade of research, what hope did she have? She was barely a Jedi. She had little formal training, just raw power. Not to mention the draw of the Dark Side. It was always there, whispering to her when she least expected it. It had been much quieter since Ben's death, but she knew it would never leave her completely.

She was Palpatine's granddaughter, after all.

"You're Rey Skywalker," Poe murmured, still kneading her neck and shoulders.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I didn't. It was a feeling. Doubt." He paused. "I notice it, whenever you think about _him."_

"Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for your feelings, Rey."

She soaked in his warmth, his love. Unwavering, steady, true. That was how Poe felt about her. "I could still change it. My name. Be Rey Dameron."

Poe kissed the crown of her head. "I'd never expect that, sweetheart. You should have whatever name you choose. Though to me, you'll always be Mrs. Dameron."

She smiled to herself. Her belly did a little flip every time he said that. She liked it. "Here, with you, that's who I am." Being Poe's wife came as naturally to her as using the Force. It was just as much a part of her identity as being a Jedi. She'd never give that up. She turned her head, pressing her lips to his. The angle was awkward, but he kissed her back, slipping his hands around her slim waist. Rey sighed, letting go of her worries. The future of the Jedi Order belonged outside this room. When she was alone with her husband, he was all she wanted to think about.

The ancient text crashed onto the metal floor as Rey turned fully, twisting until she was perched in Poe's lap. He tightened his hold as her knees hugged his hips. "Sunshine…"

"Shh. Just kiss me, flyboy."

He would never disobey an order like that. They made out slowly, tenderly, like they had all the time in the world. The hard metal under his ass was the only reminder that they weren't back at the ranch, just breathing each other in. Poe knew he would never get tired of the softness of her lips or the gentle strength of her touch. She was everything he'd ever wanted in a partner; he just hadn't realized it until she walked into his life.

Rey carded her fingers through her husband's hair; the strands were soft against her skin. She felt him tug the ties that held her buns in place, allowing her dark locks to tumble down her shoulders. "That's better."

She smiled into his kiss. "You really like it better that way?"

He combed his right hand through it. "Mmhmm. Though I do like this little curl by your ear when you're the badass Jedi."

"Badass?"

"The best fighter we have, remember? You took down Zorii's whole crew in three seconds flat."

She blushed. "She was wasting time."

Poe wasn't fooled. "It's okay if you were jealous, sweetheart."

"I was not."

"Liar." He kissed her as his hands slid possessively under her ass. "I've been jealous too, you know."

She shivered. "When?"

"You're a beautiful woman, Rey. I'm not the only person that noticed."

She sensed something deeper. She remembered Poe bickering with Finn during the wayfinder mission; the two best friends bickering was almost unheard of. "Finn's always been a brother to me," she said softly. "Nothing to be jealous of."

"I didn't know that," he replied. "It felt like you were slipping away before I could tell you how I felt."

"Even then?"

He nodded. "I didn't have the words for it then, Sunshine. There was so much at stake; the mission had to come first. But you've been important to me since the moment I met you."

"I know exactly how you feel." Poe could have been describing her. They couldn't see it in each other, but their friends did. Leia did. Now that they were together, it finally felt like everything was as it should be. She captured his lips in another kiss, her tongue sweeping his bottom lip. Poe opened for her with a soft groan; Rey slid her tongue sensuously against his. He tightened his grip on her bottom; she let out a needy whine as arousal sparked in her core. "Poe…"

He kissed a path down her throat, unable to resist the way she squirmed in his lap. "They'll be here…any minute…" he breathed.

"Don't care." She took his hand and guided it to her chest, urging him to touch. She moaned softly, arching into him. "Need you, husband."

"As you wish." Poe slipped his hand down her belly and into her leggings. She worked her Jedi wraps off her torso and yanked her tunic over her head. She kissed him as she awkwardly unwound her breast band, letting out a gasp as he found her sex and dipped a digit into her. "Wet already?"

"My husband's very handsome," she replied with a grin far naughtier than it should have been. "Perhaps you've met him?"

"Maybe. You might have to describe him, sweetheart." He stroked her clit; his fingers were getting slicker by the moment.

"Hmm." She was struggling to think as he continued to touch her. "Dark hair, thick, with…oh…curls. And little…hmmm…peaks of gray."

"You like that, huh?"

"Mmhmm."

"What else?"

She wet her lips, trying to grind against his hand. He was barely touching her; he was enjoying teasing her! "Golden skin that I love touching, feeling the muscles underneath. Scruff on his jaw…oh…feels so good between my legs."

Poe groaned, his cock straining against his pants now. "Hmm, I might be getting a bit jealous of him, sweetheart."

Rey keened as he wrapped his lips around one of her aching nipples, sucking hard. Arousal flooded her core; Poe slipped two fingers into her easily. She threaded her fingers into his hair, holding him in place. She rocked against him, his fingers so good, but not enough. "He feels so good when he's inside me," she breathed. "Love when he takes me hard and deep."

Poe cursed, pumping his fingers faster. "Come, mi amor. Come for me." She cried out as the high washed over her; her walls gripping his fingers rhythmically. He stifled a groan, desperate to feel her around another part of his anatomy. He kissed her soundly, distracting her as he took his hand away. She whined, her breath coming in harsh pants. "I need you to get up, bend over the bunk and spread your legs for me. Can you do that?"

She nodded. Her legs felt like jelly, but she managed to stand. While Poe scrambled up, she hastily shucked her boots and pants, leaving her naked and exposed. The door to the captain's quarters was still open, but she didn't bother to close it. She did as instructed, anticipation sliding down her spine. The cool air kissed her heated flesh; she shivered. She could hear Poe behind her, making quick work of his own clothes. She sighed as his rough hands slid over her ass and up her back. "My beautiful girl," he murmured.

Rey sucked in ragged breaths, waiting for him. He eased her legs a little wider apart, fully exposing her swollen sex. He knew she was more than ready, but he teased her anyway, needing more of those sounds she made. "Be as loud as you want," he said, the tip of his cock pressing against her. "I don't care who hears us."

Before Rey could even process that, he slammed home, making her cry out. She clawed at the mattress, hanging on to it as he took her exactly the way she needed. She wanted to forget everything outside this room, just for a little while. She was completely in _this_ moment with her husband, her soulmate, her lover. There wasn't a part of her that didn't burn for him.

"Rey, Rey, Rey," he chanted, completely lost in her. He felt her, felt that connection they shared, tingling at the back of his mind. It was almost like it renewed itself every time they were together, until it was stronger than thickest durasteel.

Rey gasped, the things he felt washing over her and hers to him. Poe bent over her, seeking her hand, threading their fingers together as he maintained his relentless pace. "Tell me you feel that," he groaned.

"Kriff, I do. Don't stop, Poe. _Please._"

He had to let her go briefly to yank her hips off the bunk a little; Rey let out a half cry, half moan as he sank even deeper inside her. Skin smacked loudly, but even louder were Rey's needy whimpers of pleasure. He filled her perfectly; her orgasm barreled closer with every thrust. This time when that sweet high hit her, she screamed, a keening wail. All around the room, bits floated and crashed to the floor. Poe grunted, her euphoria washing through him. He couldn't resist her pull, crying out her name as he followed, his hips snapping against hers as he throbbed and pulsed deep in her quivering sex. Stars burst across his closed lids, the jumble of emotions almost too much.

Rey felt him sprawled across her back, but she made no move to dislodge him. Poe pressed tender kisses across her shoulder blades, an echo of those powerful emotions still swirling in his head. Was this what the rest of their lives would be like? How would their connection change and grow in the years ahead? He had no idea, but he was excited to find out.

"I should," Rey began.

"I know." He rose reluctantly and grabbed his pants while she headed to the fresher. She came back a few minutes later; he still hadn't bothered with a shirt, which made her smile. "What's that for, wife?"

Rey laid her hand on his bare chest and gave him a chaste kiss. "Nothing."

He slipped his hands around her waist. "As much as I like the view, you should probably get dressed," he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Thanks for coming to find me."

"You don't have to face any of this alone, Rey. I may not be a Jedi, but I am your husband. I'm with you, no matter what."

She hugged him close; she couldn't put into words how much that meant to her. She stayed in his embrace as long as she dared, not letting go until they heard the distinctive sound of a ship. Poe went to check to make sure it was the right ship while she dressed. She remembered to put the book she'd been reading back in the drawer; she had a feeling she would need it before long.

Poe waited as the ramp lowered on the newly arrived ship. He ran his fingers through his hair a few times; he didn't think it was that obvious what he and Rey had been up to, but he didn't want any awkward questions. Mostly for Rey's sake. The moment the ramp touched the ground, BB-8 came rolling down, beeping excitedly. Poe smiled; he'd missed his friend. "Hey buddy," he said, kneeling to greet him. BB-8 trilled. "Yeah, yeah, I missed you too."

"W-w-where is R-r-ey?" D-O asked, appearing beside BB-8.

"Over here!" Rey hurried across the tarmac; the two little droids raced over to her. Poe didn't bother to hide his grin as she gave BB-8's antennae a fond tweak and checked D-O for squeakiness. She loved those two droids.

"Master Poe!"

"Yeah, Threepio?"

The golden protocol droid shuffled down the ramp, R2-D2 at his side. "I don't know what is wrong with these younger droids, sir. They are quite excitable."

"Missed you too, Threepio." Poe knelt in front of R2. "Any hints about this mission you've got for us?" The old astromech was temperamental with a unique personality, but Poe liked it. Ever since Exegol, he felt responsible for him.

"I'm afraid he's being quite stubborn about it, sir. I do hope it's not a wild droid chase."

Poe, Rey and the quartet of droids made their way into the hangar. Chopper appeared and got into an intense exchange with R2; based on the extremely rapid (and colorful) binary, Poe got the impression the two were old friends. The exchange started to draw attention; Hera, Ezra and Jacen all made their way over. Poe couldn't imagine what Hera was going through; he'd sat there as Rey and Jacen explained the encounter with Kanan. She clearly missed her love very, very much, but she said she was happy that Jacen finally got to meet him. This was the first time Poe had seen her since.

"Artoo," Rey interrupted. "You said Master Luke gave you a mission?"

R2 beeped and whirled importantly, spinning his dome around. He eased back a few feet, then switched on his projector. To Rey's surprise, it was Luke Skywalker himself that appeared as the hologram. He looked the way he had on Ahch-To, his hair and beard a bit unkempt and scraggly, Jedi robes in the place of hermit's garb. When had he recorded this? And why didn't he tell her?

"Rey," the dead Jedi said gravely. "I know I was not what you wanted. My sister believes that I have the power to win her war. But I don't. You do. It was always supposed to be you. But when you do win, you will have an even more daunting task, one that I also failed to achieve. Bring back the Jedi, Rey. Not as they were in my father's time, but as they should be. Honorable and just. A beacon of hope for the galaxy."

Rey glanced at Poe; his eyes shined with pride. He had no doubt that she could do it. She slipped her hand in his, a grateful smile tugging at her lips.

The recording continued. "I scoured the galaxy for lore and artifacts about the Jedi. However, after the destruction of the temple I left most of them behind. My failure was too debilitating. But you can pick up where I left off. Find the artifacts, Rey. Use them to aid you in your quest. May the Force be with you. Always."

Rey blinked back unshed tears. That was when she'd been at her most angry with him. He still believed in her, even though he hadn't believed in himself. No matter what happened, she would be proud to bear the name Skywalker.

Ezra spoke first. "So where do we find these artifacts?"

"The training temple. Luke said he left them behind."

"But where?" Poe asked. As far as Poe knew, not even Leia knew where the training temple had been.

R2 rocked from side to side, beeping again. He whirled around, his projector lightening up. It was a map.

"Of course," Rey said. "Artoo was there." She got down to the droid's level. "Can you take me there, Artoo?"

"Take us," Poe cut in. "I'm going too."

Rey smiled. "I didn't want to assume."

Poe grinned back. "Sunshine, when it comes to this sort of thing, it's always safe to assume." The Resistance was in Finn's capable hands. He could hold down the fort for a couple of days.

Before they could discuss it any further, both Ezra and Jacen spoke up. "If you're going after Jedi artifacts, we're going too," Ezra said. "I promised to help. If these can help rebuild the Order, then I'm in."

"Me too," Jacen said. He glanced at his mother, then back to Rey. "I want to know more about where my father came from."

Rey could sense how important this was to both men. She couldn't say no. "Okay. Once we have the coordinates from Artoo, we can start prepping the Falcon."

Poe was about to interject, but he saw Hera leave out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, I'll be back. Don't leave without me, Sunshine." He followed Hera at a respectful distance; she disappeared inside the Ghost. After considering his options, he headed up the ramp. "Hera? You okay?"

She sat in the pilot's seat, Chopper right behind her. "You've got a mission, General."

"I've got some time." He sat in the seat beside her, unsure what to say. Hera was probably close to the age Shara Bey would have been; she looked tired and sad. The years had done little to diminish her beauty. Poe could see why a young Jedi would be drawn to her. The Civil War had taken so much from her; she reminded Poe of Leia. Leia suffered so much loss, but she still chose hope.

"I'm not sure I can do this again," Hera said quietly. Her voice was barely a whisper, but in the silence of the cockpit, Poe couldn't miss it.

"Do what?"

"I lost Kanan because he was a Jedi. Now I'm losing my son."

"Hera, Kanan sacrificed himself for you. For you and Jacen."

She ignored him, anger contorting her features. "I couldn't even see him! Just one glimpse, that's all I wanted…"

Poe was on his feet in a flash, leaning over to hold Hera as her grief and anger overwhelmed her usual stoic façade. He thought she'd fight him, but she didn't. Her tears soaked his shirt; he let her get it out. Had she been holding this in, putting on a brave face for her son? His heart broke for her; he couldn't imagine if he lost Rey the same way. Hera had a part of Kanan with her; she had Jacen.

And now Jacen seemed to be starting down the path of the Jedi.

"It's not going to be the same. Look at me and Rey," Poe said softly. "Jacen may not choose that path, Hera."

"He reminds me so much of Kanan. When he was young, it hurt, it hurt _so_ much. I never let him see, but I lost count of how many nights I cried myself to sleep." She sniffed. "When we first realized he was Force sensitive, I encouraged him to hide it. It was dangerous, even in those early years of the New Republic. So many people still believed the propaganda the Empire had put out about the Jedi. That they were traitors and murderers."

Hera sat up; Poe moved to lean against the console. The older Twi'lek wiped at her eyes, breathing deeply to settle her emotions. "I never hid who Jacen's father was, but we didn't tell him about the Force or the Jedi until he was a bit older. I was relieved when Leia said that Luke wasn't training anymore Jedi. By the time he took his nephew on as his apprentice, we were pretty far removed from events."

"Where did you go?"

"Back to Ryloth, at first. Sabine and Ahsoka were out looking for Ezra; Zeb left to find his people. It was just me and Jacen. I taught him to fly."

"My mom taught me to fly too."

Hera smiled. "Shara was one of the best."

"My dad didn't like me flying," Poe confessed. He'd only told Rey the full story of how he'd run away. "He didn't want me to die like she did."

"You clearly took his advice."

Poe shrugged. "I know he was trying to protect me, but flying's in my blood. I couldn't _not_ do it, if that makes sense." He sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that Jacen loves you. Whatever choice he makes, it's not because he's trying to hurt you. This might be a chance to figure out his place in the galaxy, whether as a Jedi or something else. Not everyone who's Force sensitive is a Jedi. I mean, look at me."

"You?"

Poe chuckled. "Crazy, right? I thought I was just lucky. Or really, really good. I mean, I am really good. At flying. But it's true. Rey kept insisting, but I didn't believe her. Not until we visited Coruscant." After the Force vision, he couldn't deny it, even to himself.

"How do you feel about it?"

Poe shrugged again. "At first, I was a little afraid. Why me? Why now? It took both Rey and Maz to remind me that I'd probably always been this way; I just hadn't seen it for what it was."

"And now?"

"It's a part of who I am. It's connected me to Rey in ways I could have never imagined. I wouldn't give that up for anything."

"I'm happy for you, Poe."

"Everyone said not to waste time. You. Karé, Finn. And you were right. There has been too much suffering and pain. We should grab our happiness with both hands and not let go." He frowned, belatedly realizing what he said might be insensitive. "Sorry, Hera."

"No, no, it's okay. I am grateful for the time I had with Kanan. Knowing he's out there, watching, it helps. But it also feels like I've lost him all over again."

Poe laid a hand on her shoulder. "If you need anything, let me know. I'm serious." He started to walk away, to give her some time alone, but his comm went off. "Dameron."

"Poe, we've got a problem."

He didn't like the sound of that. "Problem, Finn? What sort of problem?"

"Beph keeps sending messages, demanding to know where you are."

"You didn't tell him, did you?"

"Of course not. But now we're getting reports of some sort of walkout at the intergalactic convention."

Poe groaned. "What sort of reports?"

"It's sketchy, but Beph wants you there. He seems to think that you can defuse the situation."

"Me? Why me?" He wasn't any sort of diplomat or negotiator. He was pilot and a soldier. Finn was way better at that sort of thing than him.

"I think ideally he wants you and Rey."

"Rey's not getting anywhere near that cesspool." Not because he didn't think she could handle it. He knew she could. But she wanted her new Jedi Order to stay out of politics. He agreed with her. What kind of precedent would it set if the last Jedi showed up and subtly threatened everyone into playing nice? Besides, she had a mission of her own.

"Don't you think you should ask her that?"

"We've talked about this, Finn. She wants to stay out of politics. Hell, I would too, if that were practical." Unfortunately, he was the leader of the Resistance. He firmly believed the new government would need some sort of armed forces to prevent the rise of anything like the First Order again. It was one of the mistakes of the last war that Poe did not intend to repeat. They just needed to convince the beings forming the new government of that.

"What do you want me to tell him?"

"Give me an hour. I'll talk to Rey and we'll decide from there." He switched off his comm and left the Ghost. It took him another ten minutes to find Rey; she was updating the Falcon's nav computer. "Hey Sunshine."

She smiled at the sound of his voice; it turned to a frown when she saw his face. "What's wrong?"

He flopped into the co-pilot's seat. "I just heard from Finn. He says they're getting reports of a walkout at the convention."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not really sure, but Beph seems to think we can help."

"We?"

"Finn says he asked for me, but I think he's smart enough to know we're a package deal." The more he thought about it, the more sense it made, even though he _hated _it. He could go to the convention while Rey went on her mission for Luke. Both were important to the future of the galaxy.

"What about the temple?"

"As much as I hate to say it, it might be better if we split up. You could go to the temple. With Ezra and Jacen."

"Poe, the convention's important…"

He leaned over. "How many times have you told me that we can't make the same mistakes our parents made, Rey? You heard Luke. You have the chance to remake the Jedi into something _better._ You can't do that if you get involved in all the messy politics."

She could feel how much he hated even saying those words. He didn't want to be separated from her any more than she from him. They'd barely been married a week. Still, she saw the logic in his argument. Her mission was the shorter of the two; she could find him after. "Poe, are you sure?"

"Hell no, I'm not sure," he grumbled, scrubbing his hand over his face. "But what other choice do we have?"

"The temple's not going anywhere. We could just go there later…"

"Rey, the idea of being away from you makes my chest ache, but I think you need to do this. And it'll give you some time to hang out with your new Jedi friends." Ezra's return changed things; Rey would have someone like her to help rebuild. Jacen could help too if he wanted.

"Hey, I'm not rebuilding anything without you, husband." She was grateful for Ezra, but Poe was the one who loved her unconditionally. She reached for his hand, squeezing gently. "Remember when I was the one pushing you let me go?"

He smiled. "Yeah, ironic, right?" He bent over and kissed her hand. "If you really want to come with me…"

"No, you're right. I can't get involved. Not like that. We should keep our missions separate, as much as we can." The Jedi were meant to keep the peace, but first, that peace needed to be established. She needed to be seen as an impartial figure.

"It won't always be like this."

"How do you know?"

"You saw it, wife. That vision of the future. We're gonna get there." He patted his lap. "Come here, mi amor."

Rey grinned as she climbed into his lap. Poe wrapped his arms around her waist; her legs dangled over the arm of chair. She leaned her head against his, breathing him in. He smelled like leather and soap and engine fumes. It was her favorite scent in the galaxy. "Be careful," he murmured.

"I will. Think you can stay out of trouble?"

He chuckled. "I'll try."

"Don't get your head turned by any pretty ambassadors."

He placed his pendant between their hands. "Not a chance. I am very happily married."

She leaned down and kissed him. It was chaste at first, but the reality of being separated from him hit low in her gut. He felt it too, deepening the kiss until they were both breathless. "I love you, husband."

"I love you too, wife."

* * *

An hour later, Rey sat once more in the pilot's seat of the Falcon. Only it was Jacen and not Poe that sat beside her. She flipped a dozen or so switches, trying not to think about that. Jacen was her friend; she liked him well enough. But he wasn't Poe.

Her husband stood at the edge of the hangar, watching. Even from here, she could feel him. Unconsciously, her thumb touched the ring that encircled her finger. They wouldn't be gone long. A few days at most. They would find the temple, retrieve the artifacts and leave. Easy. As if sensing her reluctance to leave, Poe raised his hand in farewell. Rey did the same, though she wasn't sure if he could see her.

"You really love him," Jacen said quietly as the Falcon rose. "Even though it's against the Code."

"The Code is wrong," Rey said, pulling on the yoke. "It was put in place because the elders were afraid of something they couldn't control."

"What's that?"

"The heart."

Jacen winced. "I'm sorry, Rey. I didn't mean to imply…"

"No, I shouldn't have snapped."

"My mother didn't want me to come," Jacen confided once they hit hyperspace. According to R2's memory banks, the temple was only two jumps from Lothal on a planet Rey had never heard of. "But after seeing my father, _talking_ to him, I feel like I need to help you. However I can. I'm not saying I want to be a Jedi…"

"There are many paths in the Force," Rey said. "We'll find the one that's right for you, Jacen."

"Thanks, Rey."

The cockpit fell quiet; Ezra appeared a little while later, strapping himself into the seat Poe usually occupied when Chewie was co-piloting. Rey closed her eyes briefly; she needed to stop thinking about Poe. It didn't help that flying with Jacen was different than flying with Poe. Jacen was a competent pilot in his own right. But she and Poe thought the same. They could work seamlessly together, never saying a word. She missed that. She missed the knowing little grin he gave her every time they reached for switches at the same time or bickered about who started the hyperdrive.

_It's only a few days_, she thought. They'd been separated longer than that. Everything would be fine.

A few uneventful hours later, they arrived at the coordinates R2 provided. Rey scanned the area where the remains of the temple should be, just in case. She'd never expected to come here. She'd heard two opposing versions of what happened the night the temple burned; she still didn't know which one was real. How could Ben have turned on his fellow students? She'd felt his anger at Luke, but why destroy the temple?

"Rey?" Ezra asked softly. "Are you alright?"

She snapped back to the present. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just…thinking."

The Falcon broke the planet's atmosphere; the old freighter cut through clouds and wind smoothly. It was daylight; land loomed larger and larger in the window with dark blue ocean under them. It looked like a sea of sapphires, glistening in the light. Trees she'd never seen dotted the coast, thickening as they moved inland.

"Can you feel that?" Jacen asked.

Rey nodded. "The Force is strong here. Maybe that's why Luke chose it."

The trees opened into a hilly clearing. It was oddly patched, green and brown; it matched the shattered remains of the temple. Only a skeleton of the building remained. Rey gasped as some low fog cleared. Tangled green and violet vines scaled the some of the walls, but not all. Those were scorched stone or partially crumbled. There was no roof; no doubt consumed in the flames.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Rey didn't reply, but she agreed with Ezra. Something very dark happened here. It reminded her of the echoes she felt at her grandfather's palace on Coruscant. Something that was once a beacon of light had been tainted with darkness.

She landed the Falcon on the overgrown landing pad. The permacrete was cracked and broken in places; vegetation had found a home there. It left the ship slightly uneven, but it wasn't too bad. Rey completed the shut down procedures, then followed the men out into the common area. C-3PO and R2-D2 were waiting for them. "Can you show us where Luke kept the artifacts, Artoo?"

The astromech pulled up a schematic of the temple. Most of the rooms weren't labeled, but they could tell what they used to be. Sleeping quarters, meditation rooms, a small library, at least two large sections that had to be for lightsaber training. One of them opened into the forest; probably a training course similar to the one Leia created for her on Ajan Kloss.

"There," she said, pointing to the library. "Is that where Luke kept them?" Artoo beeped in the affirmative. "Alright, let's get this done."

Rey led the group down the ramp of the Falcon; she was surprised at how temperate the planet was. She was used to much warmer places like Jakku and Yavin. R2 was the last down the ramp, but he scurried forward and led the way into the remains of the temple. It seemed so peaceful; it was hard to imagine something so utterly dark could have happened. But she knew it had. She'd seen it. Her very first Force vision included the burning temple. She hadn't realized what it was, but she'd seen Kylo Ren and his Knights standing outside the temple, watching it burn.

_Why, Ben?_ She thought. She wished she could understand. He had parents who loved him. An uncle that tried to teach him how to use and cherish the power he'd been given. Leia had once told her that Snoke had gotten into Ben's head and manipulated him. But that didn't change Ben's choices. He knew what he was doing was wrong. She'd felt it, when she'd accidentally gotten inside _his _head when he tortured her. He knew exactly what he was doing, yet he made those choices anyway.

"What's that?"

Rey followed Jacen's hand. A long row of burned piles of wood stretched at least fifty feet. They varied in height and length; if she focused, she could almost smell the burning flesh. She fought not to gag. "Funeral pyres," she whispered. "For Master Luke's students." There were so many, more than she expected. The first victims of Kylo Ren's rage.

"Are you okay?"

Rey shook her head. Ben Solo was gone. Kylo Ren was gone. Her dyad bond with him was gone. But it had existed, and it left its mark on her. She had no reason to feel responsible for his deeds, but she couldn't help it. Instead of a place of learning and peace, this was a place of death and destruction.

How could she have thought it would be easy to come here? Why would Master Luke ask this of her? What could be gained from it? Bits of debris poked out of the grass and vines; Rey knelt and plucked a piece out. A doll. At least, what was left of one. It was homemade, much like her pilot's doll on Jakku. The stuffing was falling out; one of the arms was missing. It had clearly belonged to a child. The Knights of Ren had murdered children when they destroyed the temple. Rey thought she might be sick.

No wonder Luke exiled himself.

A hand touched her shoulder; Rey jumped, her hand shooting to her lightsaber. Ezra stepped back, his hands held up. "Whoa, Rey. It's just me."

She relaxed. "Sorry." She curled the doll against her chest, her heart hurting. Force, she wished Poe were here. She missed him keenly in that moment; she longed to feel his arms around her, letting her know that everything would be okay. Instead, she tucked the doll into her pack and stood. "Come on. Artoo's left without us."

The men shared a look before following the young Jedi. Ezra had to admit that her strong reaction to this place was curious. It did not take extraordinary knowledge of the Force to know that something terrible happened here. He felt the Darkness that lingered; it hung over the temple like a shroud, even as life tried to renew itself. It almost seemed like Rey had a connection or was even drawn to it. That was troubling.

They caught up to the droids after following the sounds of C-3PO's grousing. "Bah, I _hate _the outdoors!" The protocol droid was caught in a clutch of vines; Rey used her lightsaber to free him. "Thank you, Mistress!"

"Maybe you should go back and guard the ship, Threepio. This shouldn't take long."

"I believe that is wise."

Rey deactivated her saber and clipped it to her belt again. "I've never seen a lightsaber like that before," Ezra observed.

"Yellow was the color the temple guards had," she said quietly. "I made the hilt from my old staff."

"I'm feeling decidedly underprepared," Jacen said drily, pushing past them. R2 stood near the far wall, his little saw cutting through the thick vines. Jacen helped, pulling away the shredded vegetation. A symbol was etched into the stone; it was partially obscured by angry slashes, but both Rey and Ezra recognized it.

"Why would someone do this?" Ezra asked, running his fingers over the slashes.

"They wanted to destroy the Jedi before they could return," Rey said quietly. "They craved power, not peace." She held her hands out, hoping that her hunch was correct. She reached into the Force, probing the stone. In her mind's eye she could see Luke—much younger—standing where she stood, mimicking her. Or perhaps, she was mimicking him. Either way, something clicked, and the stone started to shift. More vines strained and ripped as the wall shifted to reveal a hidden cache.

It wasn't very big, just a square tucked into the stone. Piled inside it were scrolls, broken lightsabers, kyber crystals and other items she couldn't identify. They were undoubtedly old. She hoped the scrolls held some answers. She'd been hoping for more holocrons, but perhaps she'd already saved whatever was left. "Let's get this back to the Falcon."

R-2 beeped urgently. "He's a pushy as Chopper," Jacen said, arching a brow at the astromech.

"What is it, Artoo?" He rocked excitedly, whirling and beeping. "Holocrons? Jocasta Nu? Who's that?"

"She was the librarian at the temple!" Ezra cried. "Kanan told me about her."

"Do you think she might have survived the Purge?" Jacen asked. "Like Dad did?"

"It's possible. There weren't many holocrons left after the temple was destroyed."

"My…the Emperor kept some of them," Rey said. "Poe and I found them. But if there are more…Artoo, where did Luke keep them?" Rather than answer her, the droid started rolling away. Rey turned back to Ezra. "You and Jacen get these back to the Falcon. I'll follow Artoo, and hopefully, come back with some holocrons."

She hurried to catch up; even with the impediment of the vines, R2 moved with purpose. She could tell he was very loyal to his master. He reminded her of BB-8 and Poe. She hoped they were doing alright without her. Both BB-8 and D-O wanted to come with her, but she didn't want Poe to be alone. Had they reached the summit yet? Poe had wanted to see her safely off before leaving himself. She was surprised at how strongly she could still sense him, despite the distance. Whatever was going on, she was sure he was safe.

R2 came to a stop in front of another broken door. It was cracked diagonally; the broken top half had fallen into the room ahead. Rey lit her lightsaber and peered inside. There was a broken bed and a smashed desk. "This was Luke's room, wasn't it?" R2 confirmed it with a short beep. Carefully, Rey climbed over the stone. The astromech beeped more instructions, but Rey found that she didn't need them. She could sense the holocrons. She reached out with her left hand and used the Force to shove the broken bed aside. It moved with a loud creak; the headboard left an exposed hole in the wall in its wake. Rey peered inside; there were almost a dozen of them!

Carefully, she picked one up. The moment she did, her vision shifted. She'd experienced this enough now that she wasn't alarmed. An old woman appeared before her, sitting cross legged in a little hut. Her hair was white; her face and hands deeply lined. A first glance she didn't appear to be a Jedi, but Rey could feel the power she held. Was this Jocasta Nu? It had to be. The location definitely wasn't the temple, so she must have survived the Purge. This hut seemed remote; the scent of foliage and steam hung heavy in the air. Jocasta reached out; the holocron Rey held floated nearby. Her lips moved; Rey could only make out fragments. _History. The Force. Preserve. _

Jocasta Nu recorded what she could remember of Jedi history and lore for future generations to find.

The vision ended; Rey felt a sense of loss and gratitude. Luke had found these precious relics and kept them safe. She wondered why Ben never found them. Perhaps he didn't know they existed? Luke had implied that he'd been suspicious of Ben for a long time before that fateful night. That was why he'd kept the holocrons with him instead of the library. But why not take them with him to Ahch-To? She recalled the despair in his eyes when he talked about his failures with Ben; Luke had been ashamed. Yet, he saw something in Rey that ultimately helped change his mind.

"Thank you, Master," she whispered. She would not let him down. She couldn't. Fortunately, Rey had something Luke lacked. A partner. Poe was right. He might not be a Jedi, but she couldn't do this without him.

Rey tucked the precious holocrons into her pack, then she climbed back out of the room. They'd done what they set out to do. As R2 led the way back to the Falcon, she switched on her comm. "Ezra? Jacen? I found the holocrons. How are we looking?"

"We've got everything on board," Jacen replied. "But you better get back here as fast as you can."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"There's an unidentified ship entering the system."

"What?" Instinctively, Rey started to run; R2 had a hard time keeping up. "Fire up the engines. I'm on my way to you."

* * *

"You didn't have to come along," Poe said, fighting the urge to fidget. He really hated not doing his own flying. It was different with Rey; she didn't mind handing over control of the Falcon occasionally. But this wasn't the Falcon. This was the Ghost. And Poe was only a passenger.

He would have been perfectly fine going to Iutov on the cargo ship (partly because he would have edged the ship's pilot out of the seat and flown himself), but he didn't feel he could turn down Hera's offer to come along. He understood her need for a distraction.

"Are you always this stubborn?" she asked.

Poe chuckled. "I'm a pilot; aren't we all?"

Hera's cheeks colored. "Touché."

"If it makes you feel better, we should arrive on Iutov within the hour."

Poe blinked. "That's fast. Even for me."

It was Hera's turn to chuckle. "And you wonder why I call this ship the Ghost."

Poe made a mental note to pick Hera's brain about clandestine hyperspace routes after he tried to sort out things at the convention. He knew quite a few himself because of his past, but no one knew _all_ of them. That was impossible. That information could come in handy someday.

Instead, he sat back and tried to relax. Details were still sketchy about what exactly he would find on Iutov. It was a mid rim system; they'd fought with the Republic during the Clone War. Poe hadn't even heard of it until it was chosen for the convention. Hell, it was probably chosen because it was so uncontroversial. The Council believed that a neutral site was best for bringing as many systems to the table as possible. It was a sound strategy.

Poe tried to keep the Resistance as far away from the negotiations as possible. As he saw it, their job was to root out the last of the First Order and keep the peace. Already, small conflicts completely unrelated to the First Order were breaking out; old grudges were not easily forgotten. It was frustrating. Wasn't the need for some cohesive central government more important than petty squabbles? History said that such conflicts were where the Jedi excelled, going into a situation and coaxing the parties to the negotiating table. Rey had already done that successfully on Rodia. But she couldn't be everywhere at once. She shouldn't _have _to. People should be able to sort these things out for themselves.

Then there was the Resistance's future role. Things were already changing; Poe was treated like a co-equal member of the temporary ruling council. He had troops and squadrons scattered through the galaxy. There was some grumbling about this, but so far, they'd kept maintained a good relationship with the systems that requested their assistance. Poe believed in democracy, but he'd learned the hard way disarming completely was a mistake.

Poe was unsurprised to find Beph on the landing platform when the Ghost arrived. "General Dameron, thank you for coming so quickly." The older man looked around, clearly looking for Rey.

"Master Skywalker is seeing to important Jedi business," Poe said in answer to the unspoken question. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

Beph frowned but he quickly covered it with an insincere smile. "I also believe congratulations are in order. We received word of your marriage a few days ago."

Beph sounded just as jealous of Poe as he had on Naboo. Poe tried not to let it get to him. He knew he was with Rey for the right reason. He loved her. "We were visiting my father and decided not to wait."

"That is simply splendid! It is always preferable to experience such milestones with family."

Hera appeared; Poe nodded in her direction. "Ambassador Beph, this is General Hera Syndulla. She…"

Beph's face lit up. "This young man is implying I do not know my history, General," he said to Hera. "It is an honor to have you with us."

Hera seemed like she didn't quite know what to make of the pompousness. "As I keep telling Poe, I haven't been a general in a very long time. I'm just trying to make sure we don't make the same mistakes as last time, Ambassador."

"Quite right, quite right. If you both will follow me?"

They didn't have much choice but to follow. Poe wasn't really dressed for a formal gathering; he'd left his new uniform on Yavin. He hadn't expected to need it. That didn't even account for the fact that it needed to be cleaned. His clothes were Rey's favorite sleepwear when she chose to wear sleepwear.

Either way, he was sure she'd be the death of him one day.

He tried not to think about Rey, but being away from her was every bit as hard as he remembered. She wasn't within shouting distance. She wasn't even a quick speeder ride away. He was uneasy, but he assumed he was just missing his wife. How did Leia do it, separated from Han? She rarely allowed any emotion aside from steely determination show on her face. Poe knew her better than most, but she rarely let anyone see just how lonely she must have been. She was always looking to the future, to the day that would win the war and bring peace.

Now Poe was trying to solidify the peace and he wasn't embarrassed to admit that he missed his wife. Fiercely. They were a team; it felt wrong not to be at her side. She had a calming effect on him; she reminded him of what they'd fought so hard for. He wondered now if they'd made the right choice. It had seemed to simple at the time. Two missions, two of them. But he sensed an…unease. He hadn't expected to feel Rey at all; it was faint, but present. He could only imagine the toll seeing the burned out temple would have on her. He desperately wanted to be there. He did _not _want to be here, playing referee.

Beph led them into a room that had to be his office. "What exactly happened, Beph? Finn said there was a walkout?"

Beph gestured to the seats across from him, then he sat. "It seems there is a fair bit of disagreement on the role of the armed forces in the potential new regime."

"That was expected. Did you read my statement? Once the Resistance is incorporated into the new government by law, then we'll bow to civilian authority."

"I did, but others are wary about the former stormtroopers."

Poe scrubbed his hand over his face. "We've been over this. Without the volunteer troopers, we don't have the manpower…"

"You don't have to convince me, General. I saw on Naboo how effective your efforts are. But you must see this from their perspective. The stormtroopers were part of an effort to subjugate their homes."

"Against their will!"

"Not everyone believes that."

Poe couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A stormtrooper literally saved my life. I dare anyone of those peacocks to take on that risk for someone they don't even know. Without Jannah and her friends, we would have never brought down the Final Order fleet! Those former stormtroopers helped save their precious galaxy!"

"Poe…"

Poe didn't realize he was standing until Hera pointed it out. He sat down again. "Beph, I don't know what you want me to do here. I'm not Leia. She probably _knew_ all the people at this convention. I have my hands full trying to track down the clandestine assassins that want to destroy this before we can even get it built."

Beph steepled his hands, peering at Poe with steady eyes. "That, General, is precisely what we need. We need your passion. Your experience fighting the war. The beings in there," he gestured toward some far away room, "don't understand what the war was like. I will admit to being among them. I will also admit to being extremely wary of you and your Resistance at first. Leia was respected across the galaxy. She is dearly missed. But we must go on. I see the same steely determination in your eyes. Leadership is not an easy path, but I firmly believe that it is your path. The question is, will you accept your path?"

Poe sat back, floored. He'd never thought about it that way. He was so focused on the things he _wasn't_: patient, calm, big picture thinker. Poe frequently made rash decisions and worried about the consequences later. He'd gotten better, but he'd never be perfect. He thought—in a situation like this—his passion and temper would be a detriment. Beph seemed to think otherwise.

They would offer him command, in the new regime. That was all but certain now. Until now, Poe wasn't going to accept. He wanted to see the galaxy with Rey and eventually start their family. But then he remembered Rey's vision of their future. She saw him in a uniform, giving a speech. If he focused, he could still feel the love and pride in her hazel eyes. She believed in him, more than he did in himself. Even separated, she inspired him. He absently curled his hand around his necklace; the kyber crystal was warm to the touch.

"Alright," he said at last. "I'll talk to them."

He didn't have a change of clothes, just his battle worn fatigues, but they would have to do. Beph made a few calls, requesting the convention reconvene within the hour. The moment Beph departed to convince the hard cases to hear Poe out, Hera spoke.

"You're doing the right thing."

"I'm glad someone thinks that."

"Rey would too, if she were here."

"She would. I think she knew this was coming, even before I did."

"Jedi are sneaky like that." Hera's smile was fond, but wistful.

"But we love them anyway."

"We do." She laid a hand on his arm. "I should have been more open to Jacen exploring his Jedi roots. It's something I regret now. But you and Rey, you won't make the same mistakes I did. You'll help lead us into a better future."

"I hope so. I don't want our kids fighting another war."

"Kids, huh?"

Poe flushed. "Uh, yeah. We talked about it. Not right away, obviously, but someday."

"Someday is good. Don't rush. When it's meant to happen, it will."

He was about to thank her for the wise advice when Beph returned. "They're ready for you."

Poe stood, praying his nerves didn't show. He wished Rey were here. He wished Finn were here. He wasn't used to doing this general thing without their support. He could imagine Rey's proud smile and Finn's warmth. Was this how Rey had felt on Exegol? Alone, but still with the love and support of her friends? He touched the pendant that hung from his neck; calm washed over him. He could do this. He could make these squabbling being see sense long enough to get important work done.

The conference room was massive. Rather than one large table, the delegates were arranged on tiers looking down on a central podium. There was a table for the chair of the proceedings; it was occupied by an older woman that Poe didn't know. Human and alien representatives from hundreds of systems stared down at him. Many of them whispered to each other behind their hands or other limbs. Poe took several deep breaths; this was a _lot_ different than addressing his troops.

"The chair recognizes Ambassador Beph."

"Thank you, Madam Chair." Beph stood at the podium. "My friends, in light of our recent debates, I thought it would be helpful for a representative of the Resistance to speak on their behalf. This man requires no introduction; we all know his name. He was personally chosen by the late Leia Organa to lead the final battle against the First Order. I give you, General Poe Dameron."

A smattering applause echoed in the chamber, mostly from systems that already had positive relations with the Resistance. Poe stepped up to the podium; he remembered belatedly that his public speaking grade had been pretty poor at the Academy. There was no hope for it now. He would just have to do the best he could. _Speak from the heart._ He could almost hear Rey's voice.

"Thank you, Ambassador Beph. It is an unexpected honor to stand before you. It has come to my attention…"

An alien species Poe didn't recognize stood. "General Dameron, where is the Jedi?" A chorus of other voices cried out in agreement.

"Master Skywalker is not a formal part of the Resistance…"

"But she is your _wife_, is she not? Are you telling us you don't know where your wife is?"

Poe clenched his jaw. _Breathe._ "She is on an important mission regarding the rebuilding of the Jedi Order. That is all I'm willing to say."

"I've heard she's not really Jedi," another being said. Poe couldn't single out anyone; the corners of the room were shadowed. "Who can prove she really destroyed the Emperor? This could all be an elaborate hoax!"

"The Star Destroyers falling from the sky on each of your worlds wasn't proof enough?" Poe snapped. "Those Star Destroyers on Exegol had _planet killing weapons. _I saw them with my own eyes. I saw the lightning coming from that Sith Temple. It fried our gear; hundreds of ships nearly tumbled from the sky. Some of my friends _died._ All to save _your_ worlds. To save everything we hold dear. If Rey says she destroyed the Emperor, I believe her. It…" _Killed her. _But he couldn't say that. Not only because it wasn't his story to tell, but it would lead to more questions. He didn't need the Force to sense the hostility in the room. Tension curled in his gut.

Another representative stood; this one was human, but he wore the ceremonial robes of Kuat. "General Dameron, do you expect us to believe that your force will simply…submit to civilian authority? You've answered to no one for years, operating in the shadows. Why should we trust you?"

"We only operated in the shadows because no one believed in the threat. General Organa tried to raise the alarm, but none of you lifted a finger." Poe glared hard at the assembled crowd. "We begged the New Republic to take the threat of the First Order seriously. Over and over and over. You chose to live in blissful ignorance. I lost someone I cared about; that's why I joined Leia's cause. Almost everyone in the Resistance has lost someone. Do you think this life we _want?_ We all want peace. I've been fighting for most of my adult life. I'm exhausted."

He took another deep breath. All through the crowd, the representatives looked riveted, but he spotted a few aides darting back and forth. Some leaned into the speak to their masters. "As you know, I now have a wife. We want to have a family one day." That earned more gasps, but Poe ignored them. "I don't want my children fighting in another war when they are my age. That is what will happen if we don't remain vigilant. We can have peace, but peace comes with price. Not oppression. Not marital law. Not an Empire. Master Skywalker to trying to rebuild the neutral peacekeepers that we need. But it _will_ take time. We need to give her that time. So yes, once the new proposed new galactic government is instituted, we will submit to any laws that you have for us. But it is imperative that an armed force is maintained. I've spoken to numerous veterans of the Civil War, including my father. Every single one says the same thing. Don't make the same mistakes we did. This is our chance. But it only comes once. When it's lost, it's gone forever."

Poe stood there, his words spent. He didn't know what else to say. After a few seconds of silence, applause started. Individuals at first, then in larger and larger groups. Soon, it seemed like the entire hall was standing and applauding him. Poe blinked in shock. Could he have actually done it?

He started to leave the podium, but Beph laid a hand on his shoulder. Poe felt a flush creep up his neck as he accepted the adulation. This was why he didn't want to be a general. This wasn't him. Despite his apparent success, he still had an uneasy feeling. His eyes darted around the room, instinctively searching for a threat. But that was ridiculous. Right? The convention was supposed to be secure.

Representatives leaned in to hear each other over the din; staff flitted in and out refilling water glasses and passing messages. It all seemed so _normal_. But Poe had learned to trust his instincts. Something was very wrong. He leaned over to Beph. "We need to get everyone out of here. Right now."

Beph scoffed. "There's no reason to be paranoid, General! Enjoy your moment!"

Poe growled in frustration and scanned the crowd again. Abruptly one woman turned, something bulky in her hand. Poe's eyes flew wide as she threw the object forward, toward the podium. He didn't know how he knew. He just did. It was a bomb. Headed straight for them. "Everyone down! _NOW!"_

Screams and shuffled feet were the last thing he heard as he grabbed the person closest to him—Hera as it turned out—and dived off the very back of the stage. Then everything went black.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's note:** Thanks to anyone who is still reading this monster. I hope you enjoy this update!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, Mouse!

**Chapter 20**

"Get the droids secured!" Rey yelled as she ran for the cockpit.

Jacen waited the in the co-pilot's seat; the Falcon's engines were already roaring to life. "No one knew we were coming here," he said worriedly.

Rey ignored him in favor of getting them off this planet. It might be nothing. Just some passersby. Deep down though, she didn't believe that. The Falcon rose sharply; she pressed the button for the ship wide comm. "Strap yourselves in!" she called out. She paused. "Ezra, you might want to man one of the cannons. Just in case."

The temple grew smaller and smaller; Rey had to focus on her flying. They climbed up through the clouds, breaking the atmosphere in record time. Jacen scanned the scopes. "I've never seen ships like that. I'd almost say they were fighters, but the First Order doesn't have any ships that look like that."

Rey was too busy trying to make the calculations for hyperspace; it took her a few seconds to see what Jacen meant. "The Resistance doesn't either."

One of the ships broke off from their formation and fired off two shots. Rey jerked the yoke to port and forced the Falcon into a steep dive. Whoever they were, they were _not _friendly. "Jacen, go man the other cannon. Now!"

"But…"

"I've got this. Go!" She'd flown the Falcon by herself before; she could handle this. Fortunately, Jacen didn't argue. She checked the scanners again; there were six ships. The shape was unlike any she'd ever seen; though, if pressed, she'd say they looked like modified TIEs. The cockpit was the same spherical shape, but the wings were all wrong. She didn't have time to examine them further; a couple more were now in firing range.

Rey twisted the Falcon into another corkscrew, then banked hard to starboard. She could hear the Falcon's cannons firing, but she needed to give Ezra and Jacen some better angles. She snatched up the headset and set it haphazardly on her head. "Tell me what you need!" she yelled, as they took a hit to one of the exhaust ports. She increased the power to the rear deflectors, but they needed to get out of here. Quickly.

"Come around 86 degrees!" Ezra replied. "I think I can get two of 'em!"

Rey did as he asked, using a maneuver she'd only ever tried in the simulator back on Jakku. It certainly wasn't something that a normal freighter could handle, but this was the Milliennium Falcon. There was an ominous creaking sound as she wheeled the ship around, but she held together. Ezra was a good shot, taking out the promised ships in rapid succession.

"Four left!"

"How long until we can make the jump?" Jacen asked.

Rey checked the computer. "Two minutes." She wasn't sure they _had_ two minutes. She was grateful that they'd recently overhauled the Falcon's engines; she was pushing them hard.

"Rey, watch out!" Jacen called out.

She spotted the ship at the last second, diving once more toward the planet. They wouldn't be able to jump anywhere if she couldn't get them to the hyperspace lane. But their attackers seemed to know that; two of them stayed close to that section of space. A sense of déjà vu washed over her; for a moment, she was back above Minfar, with Poe and Rose manning the cannons.

"I'm gonna try something," she said. "Be ready to fire."

"Rey…"

"Just do it." She wheeled the ship around in a big arc, coaxing two of the fighters to chase her. They did. She abruptly threw the engines into full reverse; the fighters flew past her faster than she could blink. She flipped the ship around so the underbelly gun could get a clear shot. The fighters were trying to frantically turn as they were blown out of the sky.

The remaining two shot forward, exposing their escape route. The Falcon's computer beeped; the calculations were complete. "Get up here, we're making the jump!"

Rey reached for the hyperdrive and yanked hard. The Falcon shot forward like a slingshot, leaving their attackers in the dust.

"Who the hell were those guys?" Jacen demanded, slumping into the co-pilot's seat.

Rey leaned back, trying to get her breathing under control. They seemed safe, but the Falcon had been chased through hyperspace before. "I'd say First Order but…"

"Those weren't First Order fighters," Jacen argued. "I've seen those."

"You didn't let me finish." She sighed. "There's something I haven't told you." She waited until Ezra appeared. "The First Order had a secret division of assassins. They called it Operation Python." As briefly as she could, she told her companions all about them trying to assassinate her on Naboo, then the mission to Coruscant and Caedia.

"So, you think those ships were the assassins?"

"Who else? No one knew we were headed to the temple."

"Then how did _they_ know?" Ezra asked.

Rey frowned. "I'm not sure."

"Whoever it was, we lost them," Jacen said firmly. "But we need to get back and alert the Resistance."

"We can do that from Iutov," Rey said. "That's where Poe is."

"It's going to take some time to get there," Jacen said, studying the computer. "Fourteen hours, it looks like."

"You two should get everything stowed and rest. I'll stay here."

Ezra looked he was going to argue, but Jacen stopped him with a look. He could tell that Rey wanted to be alone for a little bit. He rose, shooing the elder Jedi ahead of him. Rey shut the door to the cockpit and leaned back in her seat. Her heart had slowed to something close to its normal rhythm, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. Ezra was right. No one knew where the trio were headed, aside from Hera, Poe and the droids. She hadn't even told Finn. The fewer people who knew, the safer the mission was. And yet, someone had attacked them. Rey knew there were people out there who wanted her to fail; people who wanted the Jedi to remain extinct. Operation Python was the most obvious choice, but how?

Unless they'd been betrayed.

Or someone who knew about the mission had been captured.

Rey inhaled sharply. No, that wasn't possible. Poe intended to leave Lothal right after she did. He was on Iutov right now. He had to be. Instinctively, she reached for the comm, but she couldn't get a signal through while they were traveling in hyperspace. Poe had to be alright. He had to be. All she had to do was reach for him in the Force and he'd be there. Safe and sound.

Rey sat up straighter and crossed her legs under her. It was tight in the pilot's seat, but she made it work. She tried breathing steadily. In through her nose, out through her mouth. She'd never tried to reach out for him like this, especially at this distance. But they were connected through the Force; mated Maz had said. If that was true, then she should be able to find him. She focused on Poe, his warm smile, the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed, his hand in hers. She reached for him in the Force the same way she reached for him when they were alone, hand outstretched, palm up, open, welcoming him home.

She let her love for him flow through her, calling for him. Her brow furrowed in concentration; perhaps the distance was too great? But she wasn't projecting herself out; she was merely searching. She felt a flicker at the back of her mind; she rushed toward it. A room slowly came into focus. Poe stood behind a podium, a pleased but slightly shy smile on his face. She smiled at the image, even as her heart squeezed. She missed him so much. Slowly, she watched his face change; fear swallowed his brown eyes. She watched, helpless, as Poe screamed something she couldn't hear, grabbed the person closest to him and dived out of sight.

Then her vision went black.

Rey's eyes snapped open; a gasp tore at her throat. Poe. _Poe._ She had no way of knowing if what she saw was the present, past or future. All she knew was that her husband, her mate, was in danger. She had to get to him. Right now.

She checked their position; they were still hours from Iutov. Frustrated, Rey started searching for another route, a short cut, anything. She flipped on the comm. "Jacen, Ezra, get up here. Now!"

The men were thoroughly confused when they arrived. "Rey, what's wrong?"

"Something's happened on Iutov. Or will happen. I can't tell. But we have to get there. As soon as possible."

Ezra laid his hand on her shoulder, but Rey shook him off. "Rey, slow down. How do you know this?"

"I saw it!" she cried. "I was meditating, trying to find Poe, to make sure he's alright. I've had a bad feeling ever since we left the temple and I…I just had to be sure."

"Rey, a Jedi can see many things in the Force, but it takes training and…"

"I know what I saw!"

Ezra held up his hands. "I'm not saying you didn't have a vision, Rey. But what you're talking about…it shouldn't be possible."

"And why not? Don't you tell me you've never seen anything in the Force!"

"I have. But you must be cautious! What if someone out there is trying to manipulate you?" Ezra had been deceived by Maul; he'd nearly become the man's apprentice. He couldn't let something like that happened to Rey. She was too important.

"Like who? The Sith are gone, Ezra!" She knew Poe was in trouble. _She knew it._ "Poe and I…we're connected, Ezra. In the Force. We're more than just husband and wife. Now, he is danger and I am going find him. With or without your help!"

Jacen cut in. "What do you need us to do?"

"We're still hours away from Iutov; we need to find a faster route. I've been scanning the Falcon's systems, but…"

"I might know a way. Iutov is a mid rim system, right?"

Rey nodded. "Okay, Mom taught me everything she knows about flying, routes, maneuvers, everything. Let me take a look. If there's a faster lane, I'll find it."

Rey let out a breath. "Thank you, Jacen."

"We'll find him. He'll be fine."

Rey exited the cockpit; she needed to give Jacen room to work. She couldn't focus anyway. All she could see was that horrible image playing over and over in her mind. She had no idea if what she'd seen had already occurred or if it was still to come. The only thing she _was_ certain of was that Poe was alive. She'd know if he were dead. She'd felt Luke die. She'd felt Leia die. Rey was closer to Poe than either of them; she'd feel it. She'd know. He was alive.

She could face anything as long as she knew he was alive.

"Rey?"

She sat heavily behind the chess table, trying to get a handle on her emotions. She had to be calm. For Poe's sake. "I'm not going to debate with you, Ezra."

"I know." He sat on the bench, but he didn't get too close. Bizarrely, he reminded her strongly of Master Luke, the old grizzled Jedi that didn't trust her. What happened to Ezra in the years he'd been missing? Hera had told them about some of the Ghost crew's adventures; Ezra had done crazier things for his family. Poe was her family. Poe and Finn, Rose, Chewie and Kes. Poe was her _home._ They were going to build a life together. She wasn't giving that up without a fight.

"What did you mean earlier?" he asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"About what?"

"Poe. You said you were connected in the Force."

She didn't want to explain, but she needed to fill the silence. She couldn't keep rewinding her vision over and over in her head. She told him everything Maz had told her, backing it up with several examples of she and Poe sensing each other. For her, their connection wasn't some abstract thing; it was tangible and real. She'd only ever questioned it because she was terrified she'd hurt him by accident. Someone had used the Force to torture him; she wanted to help him heal.

"I know it goes against everything Kanan taught you, Ezra, but Yoda and Master Windu and all those others…they were wrong. They lost their way. Rejecting attachments was contrary to the very thing the Living Force _is._ It's not just you or me or the objects around us. It's interconnected because we're interconnected. We change; we grow. It should not be a sin to love and be loved in return, Ezra. That's not the kind of world anyone should live in. I grew up alone; my parents abandoned me to keep me safe. I had no family until I found Finn, Beebee-Ate and the Resistance. No one who cared if I lived or died. I have that now. I'm not losing it. I can't."

Ezra was quiet for a long time. She didn't know what else to say to make him understand. She hoped he would, one day. She needed his help to rebuild the Order; however, she was determined to do it her way.

It felt like an eternity before Jacen appeared. "I think I found a route."

Rey was up in a flash. "Then let's get going."

"Incoming vessel, identify yourself!"

Rey switched the comm on. "This is the Millennium Falcon of the Resistance. We're requesting permission to land." For her, this was only a courtesy. She was landing, one way or the other.

There were a few beeps, then the voice replied. "Master Skywalker! We've been told to expect you. You may land on pad…" But Rey ignored the landing officer. She set the Falcon down on the first empty landing pad she saw. Leaving the shutdown procedures to Jacen, Rey dashed for the ramp. Her heart beat a rapid tattoo; anxiety slithered down her spine. She needed to see Poe; she needed to know he was okay.

There was no one to greet her at the end of the ramp, not that she expected that. However, she did spot smoke streaming from somewhere in the building. That spurred her into motion; she ran for the door. When it opened, she came up short, faced with an army of guards, their blasters raised.

"Halt! This is a restricted area!"

Rey clenched her jaw. "Get out of my way!"

"This whole complex is on lockdown! Return to your ship immediately!"

Rey huffed out an exasperated breath. "I am Rey Skywalker," she said, as calmly as she could. "I need to get inside." She was giving them one more chance, then she was using the Force. She didn't have time for this.

The man's eyes flew wide. "Master Skywalker! Of course, forgive me…" But Rey ignored his apology, pushing past him. At least everyone here seemed to know who she was. She looked around for someone in charge. She needed to find her husband. But all she saw were people; people dashing around in various states of filth and injury.

Dread settled in her belly. Something terrible had happened. She was too late.

"Master Skywalker!" another voice called. "Master Skywalker!"

Rey whirled around; the voice sounded vaguely familiar. It belonged to a woman a little older than her. Her auburn hair was disheveled; her face covered in soot and dirt. The woman's gown was torn and singed; Rey realized with a start that she knew her. It was Irina, Beph's aid. "What happened?"

"There was an…explosion. A bomb, I think. It all happened so fast. General Dameron…"

"Where is he?" Rey demanded.

"The med bay." Rey started to leave, but Irina pulled her back. "He's in bad shape, Master Skywalker."

"What does that mean?" Her stomach dropped; terror filled her soul.

"The Ambassador…he asked General Dameron to speak to the convention. Right at the end of the General's speech, he yelled for everyone to get down. I didn't see what happened exactly, but I felt the explosion. The heat…it felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. I saw the General dive for cover…"

Rey didn't wait to hear the rest. She couldn't. There were more casualties being carried through the building; Rey followed them to the med bay. Dozens of beings lay out on stretchers; more were on the floor. The facility wasn't built for that many patients. It only had three bacta tanks. All of them were full.

Poe was in the one of the far right.

Tears stung her eyes as she drank him in. He was nude save the specialized underwear. He had a breathing apparatus covering his nose and mouth. His dark hair floated in the bacta; thankfully, he was still unconscious. At first, he looked unscathed, but then she saw his back. A large swath had been sliced open with shrapnel; she wasn't a doctor, but it looked dangerously close to his spine. She rested her hand on the cold tank, fighting the urge to cry. She couldn't cry. She needed to be strong. Poe would _fine._ She could heal him.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

Rey turned; a medical droid hovered next to her. "I'm Rey Skywalker. This is my husband."

The droid let out a skeptical beep. "That is General Poe Dameron of the Resistance."

She fought the urge to grind her teeth. "Yes, my husband. Please, you must get him out of there, I can heal him…"

"The general isn't going anywhere; he could lose the ability to walk if we move him now."

Rey screamed in frustration. Logically, she knew the bacta could fix him. Finn had taken a lightsaber slash along his spine and he was okay. But Rey didn't want to wait. She couldn't bear seeing him like this, not when she could fix it. She moved around to the front of the tank; her hand pressed to the glass. Poe just…floated there. She wondered if he was in pain. Did he know she was there? This was one of her nightmares come true, her husband hurt, in pain, and Rey unable to help him.

"Rey?"

She turned around; Hera stood in front of her, bruised and bloodied but alive. "Hera!" Rey threw her arms around the older woman, surprised, but grateful for her presence. "But why are you here?"

"I offered to come with Poe; I thought I'd look after him for you." Hera sighed, wincing at the pain in her shoulder. "He saved my life."

Rey glanced over her shoulder at her husband. Of course, he saved Hera. Rey bit her lip, willing away her tears. "What happened?"

Hera told her more or less the same story Irina did. Speech, applause, Poe calling out, explosion. Apparently, Poe and Hera dived off the back of the stage with Poe shielding Hera with his body. Which was why he had shrapnel lacerating his back. He'd managed to get them away from the worst of the explosion; others weren't so lucky.

"Beph is dead," Hera said flatly. "A lot of others in the immediate blast radius. The ceiling collapsing got a few more. We won't have a full count for a while."

"Has anyone told Finn?"

Hera nodded. "He's on his way." She paused. "He's going to be alright, Rey. Poe. He's a fighter."

"I know." Still, she felt _helpless._ She had the power to heal him; it hummed under her skin. She would gladly give up some of her Force energy to make him better. He would probably fight her, argue against it, but it was an argument she would win. Gods, right now, she'd welcome him arguing with her! Anything was better than standing here and waiting. She looked up at him, her heart hurting. "Wait, where is his necklace?"

"I've got it." Hera reached into one of her pockets and pulled it out. She pressed it into Rey's palm. "You can give it to him when he gets out of there."

Rey clutched the kyber crystal to her chest, fighting the urge to scream. She could still see the look of awe on her husband's face when she gave it to him at their wedding. Had that only been a week ago? Force, it felt like another lifetime. She wanted him back in her arms; she wanted to feel his lips on hers. "Come back to me, Poe," she whispered, her hand pressed once more to the glass.

* * *

What was that noise? Poe squinted the moment his eyes opened; he was very disoriented. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the light. Where was he? What happened? The last thing he remembered was giving a speech…_oh Force._ A bomb, a deafening explosion, searing pain. After that, everything was blank.

Poe tried to sit up, but pain lanced up his back. Whatever happened, he was still healing. But he was alive. Rey. He needed to find Rey, tell her he was okay. She was probably worried sick. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His throat felt like sandpaper, coarse and rough. He tried again, but all he did was choke.

Beside him, something moved. To his astonishment, his wife appeared, her chestnut locks tangled, her eyes shadowed. "Poe?" She said his name so softly, but he noticed the crack in her voice. "Oh Force, Poe!" She wrapped her arms around him awkwardly; he winced. "I am so sorry," she whispered, horrified. "Did I hurt you?"

"Isn't that my line?" he teased, but it came out more pained and breathless.

Rey kissed him quickly, her hands cupping his cheeks. "You scared the hell out of me, Poe Dameron."

"Didn't mean to, sweetheart." His hand found hers; he squeezed. "Hera, is she…?"

"Hera's fine, thanks to you."

"Thank the Force." He pulled her hand to his lips, kissing her palm fervently. "I hate to be a bother, but could I get some water?"

"Of course." She released him long enough to fill up a cup; she gently lifted his head so he could drink. The water was cool and refreshing; Poe could finally swallow without pain. "Better?"

"Yes, thanks." Rey perched on the edge of his bed; she kept his hand firmly in hers. "How long was I out?"

"You were in the bacta tank for two days."

"Bacta tank?" That explained the smell. Gods, he hated those things.

"Shrapnel from the bomb lacerated your back."

Poe's eyes widened. He looked down at his feet, but thankfully, his toes wiggled under the blanket. "Pretty bad then, huh?"

"You're still healing. But the doctors think you'll be okay."

Poe could already see the wheels turning in her head. He knew exactly what she was thinking. "Listen, Sunshine…"

"The bacta tank did all the hard work," she pointed out, not even letting him finish his sentence. "I would just be…speeding up the process."

"Rey…" He was touched that she wanted to do this for him, but he couldn't let her. They still couldn't be _sure_ about what it cost her when she healed someone. She was giving up a part of herself; did she get that back? Rey believed she did, but Poe was still skeptical. Everything had a price. Her life force was precious, far more than his.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she cried. She got up and started pacing. Thankfully, he seemed to be in a private room.

"Rey, you can't just heal me every time I get a scratched!" he shot back. It was hard to argue from his prone position on the bed, but he did his best. "I'm not worth that!"

"Not worth it?" Rey looked scandalized. "Do you have any idea how scared I was? I was on the Falcon, meditating, and I _saw it._ I saw the explosion, Poe! I saw you disappear in a sheet of flames! I didn't know if I was seeing the past, the present, or the future! Then I get here only to find you locked away in that tank!" Fat tears slid down her cheeks; she didn't bother to stop them. "I felt so useless. Helpless. I wasn't here when you needed me."

"Rey…" There was nothing she could have done; if she'd been there, she might have been hurt worse than he was. He couldn't take that. The galaxy needed her, far more than it needed him.

"How can you think you're not worth it? I don't understand! We need you. _I need you._ Force, Poe, I can't do this by myself!" She choked on a sob. "You promised. At our wedding you _promised._" She reached into her pouch and pulled something out. It was his necklace. He hadn't realized it was missing. She came over and slipped it over his head. "Do you remember what this means?"

He was close to tears now; seeing her distress made his stomach churn. "I am your guardian," he said softly.

"And I am yours." She rested her forehead against his. "When I was hurt, you looked after me. Now it's my turn."

Slowly, he nodded. He silently vowed to get to the bottom of this healing thing; he didn't want her to give up any more for him than she had to. "Okay, Sunshine. Okay."

Rey smiled through her tears. She kissed him tenderly. "I love you, Poe."

"I love you, too."

It took a bit of maneuvering, as Poe lay on his back. The bacta tank really had done most of the work. He was very sore; he could feel varying pricks of pain along every laceration. But he had all his limbs and he could feel his toes. He was definitely lucky. Rey helped ease him onto his side; she tugged the thin sheet down to expose his back. She let out a soft gasp; his tanned skin was marred by new pink still healing skin. She traced one with her finger. "Does this hurt?"

"A little," he admitted. He had a pretty high pain threshold, but he didn't need to be stoic with Rey. She would never see him as weak.

"Wiggle your toes for me?"

He did so, wondering just how close he'd come to losing that part of himself. "Rey…"

"Shh. You're okay. That's all that matters." She lay one hand on the small of his back. "Now hold still." He nodded, sucking in a deep breath. That hurt, but he ignored it. Her hands were warm, much softer than a mechanic's hands should be. She didn't speak, but he felt her. That connection between them flared to life, shooting through him like electricity. Poe gasped; he could feel the still healing skin and muscles and nerves knit back together. The pain receded; then it was gone completely. Poe could _breathe;_ he groaned as she finished. "Better?"

Her hands continued to skim over his back; he was content to let her. "Much better. Thank you, mi amor."

She leaned over his kissed his bicep. "Anytime, flyboy."

He chuckled; that didn't hurt either. Poe forced himself to sit up; the sheet pooled around his waist. "Come here, Sunshine."

Rey scrambled up onto the bed and into her husband's lap. He barely got the chance to breathe before he was kissing her, his tongue sliding past her lips easily. She kissed him back, her fingers threading through his matted hair. He needed a shower; he smelled like bacta, but Rey didn't care. He was back in her arms, alive and well.

When they came up for air, Rey leaned her forehead against his. "I'm so glad you're awake," she whispered. "I missed you."

"Did you stay with me the whole time?"

She nodded. "They tried to kick me out of the med bay, but I convinced them not to." The way she said it…Poe's eyes flickered to the side table. Her lightsaber lay there. No, he would not want to be the person who tried to convince Rey Skywalker to leave her husband's side when he was injured.

He stole another kiss from her lips. "When did they move me in here?"

"This morning."

There was another question he needed to ask, but he had a feeling he knew the answer already. "How many…?"

"They don't know yet. They're still searching for survivors."

Poe sighed; he held Rey a little tighter. A half second more and he might have been among the less fortunate. "I knew something was wrong," he murmured. "I could feel it. I tried…"

"Shhh," Rey said, smoothing down his hair. "It's over now."

"Is it?"

Rey wondered that too, but she didn't want to think about it. "Poe, as we were leaving the temple…"

He stiffened, his hands already searching her for injuries. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"There were some fighters. They looked like TIEs, but…not. The wings were all wrong. Anyway, we destroyed most of them and left the other two in the dust. We're fine."

Poe cupped her face in his hands and drew her lips to his. She melted against him, all too aware of the close calls they both had. "Is it just me," Poe began, his brown eyes twinkling, "or do we have bad luck when we're separated?"

She chuckled. "It does seem to be a pattern. Maybe we should stop tempting fate."

Poe knew he didn't smell great, but he coaxed her to squeeze into the bed beside him. "Let's just stay right here then."

"Hmm, maybe you should shower, then we'll talk."

"I was in a bacta tank. Not my fault."

Rey rested her hand over his heart; its beat was steady and strong. "I almost lost you," she whispered.

"Hey, I made it. I'm okay. You even fixed me."

"Seeing you in that tank…it was terrifying, Poe."

Judging by the circles under her eyes, that image would stay with her for a while. More nightmare fodder. He longed to take her way from all of this, somewhere no one could find them. "We're together now, Rey. From now on, we stick together, yeah?"

It would be a long time before she felt calm enough to let him out of her sight.

Poe dragged the towel through his wet curls, then slung it around his waist. Once the doctors knew he was awake, they'd insisted on poking and prodding him for several more hours. They'd never seen anything like Rey's Force healing ability; Poe wasn't about to enlighten them. She shouldn't even have used it on him, but he was weak where she was concerned. Besides, he needed to get on his feet as quickly as possible. They needed to find out who did this so they could make sure it didn't happen again.

Rey never left his side while the doctors and medical droids ran their tests; he could see how exhausted she was. She had dark circles under her eyes; she moved awkwardly from trying to rest in the most uncomfortable chair Poe had ever seen. When the doctors finished with him, they had no choice but to release him. His room was needed for other more injured patients. The acting Prime Minister of Iutov (the old one was killed in the explosion) granted them the use of the visiting dignitaries' home for as long as they needed it. Poe was the highest ranking member of the Council to survive the explosion. A handful of others were not part of the convention, so they'd been spared. They were currently on their way to Iutov, along with Finn. It was dangerous to have them all in one place, but Poe didn't trust the holo network. He wanted to look each of them in the eye.

Poe sat heavily on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. So many dead. He knew the reason he was still alive. He'd sensed something was amiss. As Maz told him, his connection to the Force kept him alive. He'd had many, many close calls over the years; he used to be able to laugh them off. It used to drive Leia _crazy._ She scolded him over and over for being reckless with his life. This time he'd hadn't been reckless, just unlucky. He had so much more to lose now; it was humbling.

He glanced over his shoulder; Rey was fast asleep. She looked so peaceful, curled up on her side, her feet tucked under the blanket. She'd meant to get cleaned up after he finished with the shower, but Poe didn't have the heart to wake her. She'd been at his side for almost three days; she was exhausted. He leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. She hummed but she didn't awaken. He'd been unconscious for all that time, but he could feel sleep tugging at his eyelids. He wished he could curl up with her and just rest, but there were a few things he needed to do first.

It took him a few minutes to find a holoprojector; there was one in the sitting room, attached to the desk. Poe switched it on and prayed Kes was still awake. "Mijo? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Papa, it's me. I'm okay."

Kes looked relieved. "When Rey sent word that you were injured, we feared the worst."

"It was a close call, but it was nothing a bacta tank and Jedi healing couldn't fix." Truthfully, he felt good as new, which seemed wrong when so many others were still recovering or worse. He didn't get into the details of his injuries, lest Kes fret anymore than he needed to.

"Where's Rey?"

"Asleep. She's exhausted."

"I can imagine. What happened, mijo?"

Poe didn't really want to relive it, but Kes deserved the truth. So, he told him. He avoided some of details; this was a secure Resistance channel, but it was becoming harder to know who to trust. The convention had been meeting without incident for almost a month; why attack it then? Or had it just taken whoever it was that long to locate it and find an opportunity? The fact that he and Rey had been involved in incidents at opposite ends of the galaxy at almost the same moment was also worrying. Were _they _the targets? Rey was already on Operation Python's hit list; they'd made a previous attempt on her life. It made sense that he would be too, as the acknowledged leader of the Resistance.

Thinking about it too much made his head hurt.

After finishing with Kes, Poe holo'd Connix. They needed to find out about those fighters that attacked the Falcon. He asked her to send a squadron to examine the destroyed ships, see if they could find out who they belonged to. The authorities on Iutov were examining the explosive, searching for clues. No one seemed to know who the bomber was; Poe never got a good look at her face. The device was their best bet. If he were right, and the two incidents were connected, then hopefully, that would give them something concrete to go on.

Once Connix disappeared, Poe stared at the projector. There was one other person he thought _might_ be able to help. Whoever had done this, they were secret and clandestine. Even in the First Order, many people considered Operation Python to be a myth. Finn had heard the rumors, but it wasn't until Armas tried to kill Rey that they knew it was _real._ But beings in the underworld? They knew things other people didn't. They had to in order to stay alive. Poe lived that life. Not long, but long enough to know that if they needed answers, that's where they would find them.

He didn't want to call Zorii. He didn't want the awkwardness that would ensue. He didn't want Rey to deal with his not-quite-ex. Poe didn't care about Zorii like that anymore, but that hadn't stopped Zorii from flirting with him back on Ajan Kloss. He didn't know if she was messing with him or trying to get him back or what. Rey had made it clear that Poe was hers (which pleased him to no end); Zorii left shortly after. He had no idea what her intentions were; he didn't want her hurting Rey. Still, Zorii might be able to find the answers they desperately needed.

This needed to end. Soon.

They had a lot of pieces but no clear idea if how they fit together. Zorii might be able to find that missing piece or know someone who could. He wouldn't be doing his duty if he didn't pursue every avenue. Poe had never been one to shirk his duty. Reluctantly, he switched the holo back on, hoping the crew still used the frequency he remembered.

A hologram of the woman in question flickered to life. She seemed distracted. "How did you get this…" Her helmeted head looked up. "Poe?"

"Hey Zorii."

She flipped open her visor; Poe realized belatedly that he wasn't wearing a shirt. It was too late to do anything about it. "You must be desperate if you're holoing _me," _she drawled. "Where's your girl?"

Poe breathed deeply through his nose. "She's asleep. Don't pretend to care, Zorii. It's not a good look for you."

"Someone's bitter."

"I'd just rather not have this conversation."

"We're not having a conversation. Yet."

Poe fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Listen, Zorii, I don't have time to play games with you. The intergalactic convention was just bombed, and some unknown fighters tried to blow the Falcon out of the sky."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. So is Rey, since you didn't ask." He wished he hadn't tried flirting with her on Kijimi. He'd only done it because he thought any feelings he had for Rey were hopeless. Now he and Rey were married and happy. This was an emotional minefield he didn't need or want.

"She doesn't know you're talking to me."

"She will when she wakes up. We don't have secrets, Zorii."

"What can I do for you that the last Jedi can't?"

He didn't have much choice but to tell her the little he knew about Operation Python. She'd never heard the name, but she had heard rumors about First Order assassins. It was one of the reasons she'd tried to get off Kijimi. Now Kijimi was no more and she had to rebuild a life for herself. Poe had no idea what sort of life that would be. The Zorii he knew didn't seem equipped to lead a life on the straight and narrow. She'd once meant a great deal to him, but that time was past. He wasn't sure he would call her a friend now either.

"I'll see what I can find out."

"Thanks, Zorii."

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you're not dead. And I'm…happy for you."

She didn't sound happy, but that wasn't Poe's problem. "I am happy." He'd be happier when people weren't trying to kill him or his wife, but right now, they were safe. "Thanks for this, Zorii. I mean that."

"You'll find a way to pay me back, Poe Dameron." She offered him an enigmatic smile, then the image flickered off.

There wasn't anything more he could do. He needed to be alert and rested when Finn and the other Council members arrived. Perhaps by then, they'd have some answers. Poe returned to the bedroom and allowed the towel to drop to the floor. He crawled into bed beside his wife; she seemed to sense his presence as she snuggled into his side. Poe kissed the crown of her head and wrapped his arms around her. He focused on her steady breathing, allowing that to lull him to sleep.

* * *

What was that thumping? Rey blinked her eyes open, confused. It took her a moment to realize the sound was Poe's heart. They were tangled together in the bed; her husband was still asleep. When had she fallen asleep? The last thing she remembered was stripping down to her tunic and underwear as she waited for Poe to finish his shower. He must have; she didn't smell bacta clinging to his skin anymore. She explored carefully with her fingers under the sheet; she realized with a start that he was naked. Of course, he was.

She still felt a little gross from trying to sleep in that torture device they called a chair in his hospital room. As carefully as she could, Rey untangled herself from his arms. She would just go for a quick shower then come back to bed. It was still the middle of the night on Iutov. They could face the problems that awaited them in the morning.

As she waited for the water to warm, Rey examined herself in the mirror. Did she look as exhausted as she felt? She'd crashed hard from the adrenaline while she waited for Poe to wake up. She talked to Finn briefly, but not even her best friend could do much to ease her anxieties about her husband. They couldn't keep doing this. She was all but certain the Operation Python was responsible. She'd allowed Luke's mission to distract her from the more pressing threat. She couldn't rebuild anything if she and Poe were dead. They needed to find the assassins and end this.

Rey stripped off her remaining clothes and stepped into the stall. The water was near scalding, but she didn't flinch. She stood under the spray for a long time, just letting the heat soak into her skin and sore muscles. She was so tired. Tired of being anxious. Tired of being vigilant. Tired of worrying. She'd been fighting to survive her whole life; it was exhausting. She had so much to live for now, something beyond survival. She had a husband that adored her, the prospect of children, a calling. The lost girl from Jakku who had no one would one day have the biggest family in the galaxy.

And it could all be taken away in the blink of an eye.

She hated this. Part of her wanted to go back to Yavin, build their house, and forget about the fate of the galaxy. She knew she couldn't do that, but she wanted it. Badly. She wanted to see the galaxy with her husband beside her, preferably when people weren't trying to kill them.

_We're so close,_ Rey thought as she scrubbed herself clean. _That's why they're trying to destroy us. _That was their mistake. Rey wasn't giving up the life she'd fought so hard for, not while she had breath in her body.

Her hair was a tangled mess; she washed it as best she could. After shutting off the water, she climbed out and dried herself off with a towel. She wrapped it around her torso and used another for her hair. She sat in front of the mirror for a while, brushing out the tangles. The methodical motion was soothing; Rey sighed.

"Bit late for a shower."

Rey jumped; her heart hammering. She turned to find her husband standing there, his arms crossed over his chest. Oh, and he was still naked. "Poe! You scared me!"

He gave her a soft grin. "I'd apologize, but I'm rather enjoying the view."

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror. He must be feeling better if he could tease her. "Our honeymoon wasn't enough, husband?"

He came up behind her, toying with the towel that rested on her shoulders. "Never," he whispered in her ear. Rey shivered as he took the towel and used it to wring more water from her damp hair. He occasionally pressed a kiss to her cheek or her throat; Rey leaned back against him. She was so glad he was alright; she didn't like to think about how close he'd come to death or permanent injury. She'd love him regardless, but Poe was an active, vigorous man. He would have hated being anything less than he was.

"Do you remember what Maz said?" Poe asked, tossing the towel aside so he could massage her scalp.

"Which part?"

"About the Force keeping me alive."

Oh. That. "I remember."

"It's true, you know. I used to drive Leia nuts, always ready to sacrifice my life." Rey stiffened. "I think she knew though. Knew that I needed to keep myself alive. For you. For the life we're going have."

"Poe…"

"Shhh. We're both here. We're both fine. Just let me love you, Rey."

Rey nodded jerkily, as she turned to stand. Their lips met in a messy awkward kiss; Rey shoved the stool out of the way with her foot. Poe grabbed her waist, hauling her flush against him. It had only been a few days since they'd been intimate, but it felt like lifetimes. Rey tugged her towel out from between them; it fell to the floor in a heap. Poe reached for her thighs, lifting her up easily, their mouths still fused together in a needy kiss. Rey locked her ankles around his waist; she bit back a moan as he squeezed her ass. Poe walked them back to the bed, dropping Rey into it with a bounce. She giggled, allowing happiness to seep into her chest for the first time since she left Lothal.

"Something funny, wife?" Poe asked, perched between her legs.

She saw the fire that burned in his eyes; her laughter melted away. Want pooled in her core. Poe crawled up her body, his mouth hot on her skin. She bit her lip as he sucked a mark into her hip; her fingers wove into his hair. It was soft and clean now; he groaned as she tugged and twisted the strands. "Poe," she whined. "Please."

"Always so impatient." He grinned at her; her breathing hitched as he ducked between her legs. "Hmm, already wet for me, sweetheart. Did you miss me?"

"Yes!" She didn't care how needy she sounded. They'd been apart, then Poe almost _died_, they argued about healing him…she needed him. She needed to drown in him, just to prove that they were both alive and well and together.

"Missed you too, Sunshine." He surged up and captured her lips; she rolled with him until she was straddling his hips. Poe sat them up, his mouth descending to her breast. Rey keened and arched, another wave of arousal settling at the apex of her thighs. She wiggled against him, her slick sex quickly bringing him to full mast. "Kriffing hell."

"Need you," she whimpered. "Gods, I need you so much."

Never one to deny his wife when she begged so sweetly, Poe raised her hips and angled them just right. Their moans cut through the air as she sank down on him, taking him completely. The look of sheer bliss on her face made his chest swell with pride. He was the one who made her feel like this; she craved his touch. She was stunningly beautiful like this, her pale skin flushed, her nipples taut and rosy red, her lips kiss bitten and parted, her eyes half closed. Poe smoothed his hands down her flat belly and curled around her hips as she rode him slowly.

Rey shivered as he touched her; he seemed content to lean back and watch her slide up and down over his cock. He felt so good inside her, his thickness stretching her perfectly. She leaned back, her hands braced on the space between his legs; it gave her a little more leverage. She didn't speed up or slow down; she just wanted to keep him inside her.

Poe leaned forward, his mouth pressed against the valley between her breasts. Even now, it felt like a dream. Rey loved him. She married him. She was his, just as much as he was hers. He whispered her name into her skin, telling her how much he loved her, how much he'd missed her. She keened as he sucked a nipple between his teeth; her hips stuttered and slowed. "Oh _gods," _she panted. "Poe, kriff, more. Please!"

He obliged her, switching to the other side and sucking firmly. His thumb slipped between her folds, brushing her clit with quick strokes. Rey grabbed his hair to keep upright, riding him faster and harder until it was too much. She climaxed with a hoarse shout, her body trembling in his arms. Poe fought the need to follow her; he wasn't ready for this to be over. Rey sagged against him, breathing heavily. Gradually she became aware that he was still rock hard inside her, which caused a moan to tear from her throat. "Poe…gods…"

"That's what you get for being impatient, sweetheart." He kissed her deeply, flipping them so Rey was on her back once more. She whined as he slipped from her, only to gasp as his tongue slid over her sex.

"Poe…kriff…" He shoved a pillow under her ass to make it easier for him to devour her. Rey was utterly shameless in her need, planting her feet on the bed so she could thrust against his face. He'd shaved earlier during his shower; his prickly stubble abraided her inner thighs, which only made her hotter. Poe had to hold her down with one hand pressed to her belly; she cried out as his tongue did absolutely wicked things to her. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair, holding him against her as she sought another high. Poe's cock twitched; her grip on his hair was just the right side of painful. He rocked against the mattress to take the edge off his own need; he wanted her to come again. He wanted to taste her on his tongue. Circling her clit with his fingers, he pressed his tongue in as far as he could. Rey trembled, her hips jerking as she let go, bathing his tongue in her release.

Rey yelled something that might have been his name as she arched off the bed. She continued to quiver with aftershocks as her husband licked her clean. "Poe…"

"Love when you say my name like that."

She smiled lazily, pleasure still buzzing through her system. Yet, they had unfinished business. She pushed herself up, her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss. She tasted herself on his tongue; she was drunk on him. This time, it was her turn to push him down to the mattress and map out his body with lips and tongue. She knew every patch of skin that made him quiver; she relished every sigh of her name, every moan. They'd been to hell and back (again); she wanted to make him feel as loved as he did her.

When she wrapped her perfect mouth around his cock, Poe groaned, long and loud. He never expected this from her, but every time she managed to blow his mind. One hand sank into her hair; the strands were still damp. He didn't guide her; he didn't need to. He just needed something to hang on to while she made him see stars. "Rey…Sunshine…oh kriff…"

Rey smiled to herself; she loved making him lose control. There was a long period in her life where she thought she would be alone forever; Poe proved her wrong. He was genuinely happy with her; he loved her with every fiber of his being. Just as she loved him.

She alternated between suckling on the belled head and taking him deep into her mouth; Poe struggled not to thrust into her. Her mouth was so hot and wet and perfect. "Sweetheart…I'm gonna…oh gods…you gotta stop, Sunshine…ugh…"

Rey was tempted to ignore him, but she was ready for him again. She released him with a pop; her husband was still panting as he tackled her to bed again. This time another giggle poured out of her as he captured her lips in a kiss. She melted against him, her tongue battling with his. Poe somehow managed to get the pillow under her ass again; she cried out as he filled her. The angle was perfect; his pelvis pressed deliciously against her clit. Rey locked her ankles behind his back as he drove into her, hard enough to make her cry out in ecstasy. She pulled on his hair, hanging on for dear life. "Poe…oh _gods_…more…harder…_yes!"_

He found the secret spot deep inside her; her orgasm slammed into her hard, stealing the little breath she had left. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as Poe rode her into the mattress. He followed with a shout, euphoria sizzling through his veins. He lay sprawled out atop her, thoroughly spent. Rey panted under him, running her fingers through his hair. They were sweaty and had made a mess, but neither cared. "Love you," Rey whispered softly.

"Love you too." Poe pressed a kiss to her temple, the rolled to the side. "Guess we needed that, huh?"

She giggled. "Guess so." She squeezed his hand. "Be right back."

Poe tried to rearrange the sheets while she went to get cleaned up. He tossed the pillow into one of the chairs; it would need to be cleaned. He tried to feel bad about it, but when he was married to the most perfect woman in the galaxy, he just couldn't help himself. He'd been in love before, but never like this. Rey was everything to him.

She came back a few minutes later, still smiling. She didn't bother with clothes as she slipped into her side of the huge bed. "It's late."

"Or early, depending on your point of view."

She left out a half sigh, half laugh. "I hope no one needs us early. I'm still tired."

"Me too. Though we definitely need to get up at some point. Finn will be here." Poe could feel her exhaustion, but he plowed forward. "I talked to my dad."

Rey drew nonsense on his belly. "That's good. He was worried."

"I'm also having Connix send a squadron to the place where you were attacked, see if they can find anything."

"That's a good idea." She'd been so worried about Poe that she almost forgot about their escape from the temple. Both Ezra and Jacen had checked on her while she sat by Poe's bedside, but she wasn't prepared to talk to anyone. Not until she knew he was going to be okay.

Poe curled his hand around her hip. "I made one more call, Rey."

The way he said it made her wary. "Who?"

"Zorii."

"Why?"

"Well, we've tried searching for Operation Python through all the legitimate channels. So far, all we've hit are dead ends. But these guys operate in the shadows. She's got connections all through the underworld. If anyone can find us a lead, she can."

Rey bit her lip; she felt his trepidation. He was worried about how she'd react. But his logic was sound. Part of Rey wanted to like Zorii, but she was jealous too. Whether they'd been a couple or not, Zorii had a piece of Poe's heart once. "Okay."

"Okay? That's it?"

"You're married to _me, _flyboy. I trust you."

He kissed her forehead. "Force, I love you so much."

She grinned. "Besides, you already know I can kick her ass, if she tries making a move on you."

That got him to laugh. "Oh yeah, Sunshine. I know."

He rolled toward her, so they were facing each other in the dark. Rey slipped her hand under the thin sheet, her fingertips skimming the healed skin of his lower back. "How does this feel?"

"Like nothing happened. Though I remember how much it hurt when I woke up."

"You were lucky."

"I know." He found her lips in the dark, the kiss lingering and soft. "You could have just let me heal."

"You were mostly healed. I just speeded up the process." Why were they talking about this again?

"Rey, we still don't know how this works. What if you're weakening yourself for me? What is that's what they want? You weak and distracted by me?"

"Poe…"

"And it makes me feel guilty," he confessed. "You keep healing me when there are scores of others you could have healed instead."

Rey bit her lip; she hadn't thought about that. She didn't know what to say.

"Which I realize doesn't make sense. Hardly anyone knows about your ability. You can't be everywhere at once; you can't fix everything. I've been telling you that from the beginning." He laughed dryly and kissed her forehead. "I'm grateful, sweetheart. I really am. I just wish we knew more about this. Before you do something you can't take back."

"I would never take back healing you, Poe. Never." She hugged him tightly. "Okay, maybe it's not necessary for every scrape," she conceded. "But this was more than a scrape." She traced the edge of his cheekbone. "I told you I healed Ben, right?" He inhaled sharply, but he nodded. Her voice shook. "That wound…it would have been fatal. I meant it to be fatal."

"Rey, he was trying to kill you at the time."

"That's not my point. My point is that when I healed him, I didn't feel weaker. Granted, I mostly felt numb. I felt Leia die, Poe." He hugged her, his hand rubbing her back.

"But what about Kylo…I mean, Ben?" Poe asked. "He brought you back to life, then _he _died." Good riddance in Poe's opinion. But he didn't want to say so in front of Rey. Even after all the terrible things Kylo Ren had done, she couldn't hate him. Poe didn't pretend to understand it; he didn't need to. Kylo Ren was dead and Rey was alive and in his arms. That was what mattered.

"He was already dying," Rey said softly. "I don't know how he climbed out of that pit, but he must have." Ben had been pale a ghost when she woke up in his arms. She shuddered involuntarily; gods, even thinking about it felt wrong. The only man she wanted holding her like that was her husband. "I am very much alive, Poe. But I promise I'll be more careful until we can figure this out." She didn't think Force energy was finite; it was found in all living things. It held the galaxy together. However, until she could find something to convince her worried husband, she would refrain from using her gift. Unless there was an emergency.

"That's all I'm asking, Sunshine."

"Maybe there's something in the holocrons Luke had."

"Luke had holocrons? From where?"

Rey told him all about Jocasta Nu and the vision she'd had. She told him about the other artifacts they located and how hopeful she was about using them to rebuild the Order. "It was such a sad, desolate place," she said softly.

"I wish I would have been there with you."

"We're not tempting fate again," she said firmly. "We stay together."

"You won't get any arguments from me, wife." It would make their respective roles in the galaxy more complicated, but he didn't care. Hell, he'd give up command if that was what it took. Rey was more important. But it seemed like the Force was trying to send them a message. _You're stronger together._ He planned on heeding it.

"Poe?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"I heard what you said to the convention. Some of the survivors…they came by while I was watching over you. They were worried about you. Anyway, they told me what you said, how you convinced all those beings to follow you."

"I don't want them to follow me; I just want them to do the right thing. I don't want our children fighting like we did. Like my parents did. All I want is a quiet life with you and our kids when we're ready for that."

"I think you married the wrong person if you wanted a quiet life," she teased gently.

He chuckled. "You know what I mean. I'll help get us on the right path, but then I'm retiring. I'll travel the galaxy beside you, whether that's tracking down artifacts or finding others like you. Whatever you need me to do, I'm here for you, Rey."

She smiled. That sounded like an amazing life. "Just don't throw away the uniform, okay?"

Poe's hand slid down her back and cupped her backside. "Hmm, and why is that, wife?"

She shoved at his chest as her cheeks flamed. "You know why, flyboy."

"No, I think you need to enlighten me."

She rolled her eyes, choosing to silence him with a kiss.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's note:** This is basically a set up chapter for the rest of the fic. We still have a ways to go, but we're definitely about to start racing down the hill! As always, I hope you enjoy! Writing Poe and Rey is so much fun!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

**Chapter 21**

"Master Skywalker?"

Rey looked up from the datapad, trying to keep her face neutral. Ever since Poe's recovery, Beph's aide, Irina, had—for lack of a better word—latched onto Poe. He was the highest ranking member of the Council now, though he'd confided to Rey that he planned to change that the moment the surviving members arrived. He didn't want that kind of role. He wanted to get the new government on the right footing and secure the peace. Then he was retiring. Rey privately wondered if he'd be able to give up his soldier's life, though she never said anything. As much as she liked the idea of them returning to Yavin for good, they would both get restless after a while. It was just who they were.

She hoped a third path would present itself.

Since Irina had dubbed herself Poe's new political aide, Rey had to deal with her. At first, she didn't mind. The woman was a little older than her, but she was far more versed in politics than Rey was. Despite the trauma of the explosion, Irina was still dedicated to the cause and enthusiastic. Perhaps a little _too_ enthusiastic in Rey's opinion.

She'd seen more than a few women (and some men) trip all over themselves around her husband. He was an attractive man. He was also hers.

"Yes, Irina?"

"Have you seen General Dameron?"

"He was meeting with the acting Prime Minister last I heard. Why?"

"Because we've just received word that General Finn will be arriving with the other council members within the hour."

Rey laid her datapad aside. "I'll find him. He'll want to see Finn as soon as possible."

"That's what I thought…"

Rey cut her off again. "I can find him. Which landing pad will they be on?" Irina told her, sounding slightly disappointed. "Can you see that accommodations are made for the visitors?"

"I'll get right on that."

"Thanks, Irina." Rey didn't wait for her as she exited the large storage room she'd been using for training. She and Poe used the visitors' residence for sleeping, showering and meals; other than that, they'd been helping with the investigation. Jess' Blue Squadron had sent in the data they'd collected from the remains of the fighters that attacked the Falcon; samples they gathered were being tested by Rose on Yavin right now. Poe was sure there was a link; Rey learned the hard way to trust her husband's instincts. The Iutov authorities were trying to re-engineer the device based on the pieces they'd found, but it was taking time. They were also investigating everyone who'd been in the room at the time of the blast, trying to figure out who the mystery bomber was.

Needless to say, they hadn't had much luck so far.

Rey fought back a yawn; she didn't want anyone to know how tired she was. She was more than just emotionally drained; she wasn't sleeping well. Late nights, hard work, her husband's attentions… all that and she still woke up in a cold sweat, her heart racing with worry and fear. What made it peculiar was that it was the same dream, nearly every night. She was in a desolate place; not the forbidding sands of Jakku, but somewhere that had once been full of life. She was separated from her friends, alone, her heart aching with a profound sense of loss. But she didn't know why. A few times she woke up calling for Poe; he was always there to soothe her. She tried to explain the dreams, but nothing about them made sense. She just wanted them to stop.

Rey reached into the Force, searching for her husband. He wasn't where she expected him to be. Why was he in the hangar? Like Naboo, Iutov had a civilian defense force; one of the squads was based out of the capital. Rey headed for the lift; people nodded as she passed. It took her about ten minutes to get to the hangar; it wasn't exactly bustling with activity. There were a half dozen ships, including the Ghost and the Falcon. A patrol must have been flying because all the other ships were shuttles. She found Poe in one, bent over an open panel, tinkering.

"Don't they have mechanics for that?"

Poe jumped. "Sunshine! You scared the shit out of me!"

Rey smiled. "You must have really been absorbed in…whatever you're doing."

He laid the welding torch aside and tugged off his gloves. "The tech had a theory…" He studied her face. "What's up?"

"Your new friend wanted to let you know that Finn and the others will be here soon."

Poe's mouth quirked in a knowing smirk. "It's just temporary, Sunshine. Until we can find her a more suitable person to…assist."

"Which is why I'm here and not her. We don't want to get her hopes up."

Poe stepped closer and brushed a few loose tendrils of hair behind her ear. "I love it when you're jealous."

Rey tried to keep her face stern, but it was difficult with him so close to her. He looked the same way he had that morning. His fatigues had been ruined in the explosion, so he'd been forced to borrow some. She made a mental note to put some of his clothes into storage on the Falcon. In the meantime, he found something that approximated his usual clothes, dark pants, tan shirt open at the neck and a black vest. He even had his blaster strapped on, just in case.

"Can we focus?"

"I am focused, Sunshine." After hours of tedious meetings, he wanted to enjoy a few moments alone with his wife. "I'm focused on the beautiful woman in front of me."

Rey tried to roll her eyes, but instead she cradled his stubbled jaw and drew him in for a kiss. Poe growled low in his throat, sliding his arms around her waist. Rey sighed as he deepened the kiss; their tongues dueled as he twisted them so her back was pressed against the bulkhead. Rey groaned, one hand sliding into his thick curls. "Poe…"

"All I've heard today are casualty lists and half-baked theories," he said softly, kissing the sensitive spot under her ear. "I just need one thing that's solid and real, wife."

Her heart clenched; she could sense his need for some sort of sanity in this mess. She needed it too. She needed him. "Then you better shut the door to this shuttle," she murmured, reveling the feel of his body pressed against hers.

"Hmm, yes, ma'am." Poe fumbled for the button; his lips attacked hers the moment the hydraulics started to hiss. Rey arched against him, a frisson of need settling in her belly. Her eyes fell shut as he nibbled and sucked at the delicate skin of her throat; she'd probably carry some red marks from his scruff when he was done. While he marked her, she yanked roughly on the belt of his holster, loosening it so she could palm his hardening erection. "Kriff, Rey."

She worked him through the material, smiling as he swelled in her hand. "Not planning on starting something you can't finish, are you, flyboy?"

"When did my Jedi get so bold?" he said, rocking into her touch.

"About the time I realized I was hopelessly in love with you."

He grinned. "Good." He kissed her again, hungrily, as they worked on each other's clothes. His holster clanged on the floor alongside her belt and saber. She helped him unwind her wraps, even though he was quite good at it already.

Before he could peel off her tunic, she laid a hand on his chest. "Is that cockpit window shut?"

"Yeah, why?" Then he realized her plan. "That's my girl." It wasn't quite the same as his fantasy of them on the Falcon, but for the moment, it would do. Poe grabbed her hand, tugging her the short distance to the cockpit. She pressed him against the back of the pilot's seat, kissing him deeply. More clothes found their way to the floor; Poe groaned as she worked his pants open. He was stunned speechless as she dropped to her knees and peeled his pants down. His shirt was long gone; he had an unimpeded view of his beautiful Jedi as she ran her tongue over his aching cock. "Oh kriff."

Rey smiled to herself; she loved making him incoherent. She took her time, thankful for the extra padding in the knees of her leggings. Long licks, short licks, wet kisses, teasing nibbles. In a few minutes, Poe was already breathing hard and trembling. Rey clenched her thighs, trying to ease the ache in her core. She'd imagined something like this more times than she could count; she wanted to make the most of this chance.

Poe hastily tugged the ties out of her hair, groaning as she took him into her mouth. She sucked him steadily, her mouth hot and wet and perfect. His fingers sank into her soft chestnut tresses, not guiding her, merely an anchor to some sort of sanity. Never in a million years could he have imagined this would be his life. Married to a stunning, strong, capable woman—a Jedi no less—that craved this as much as he did. Force, he was lucky. "Rey…gods, that feels amazing," he mumbled. "Don't stop."

Rey hummed around him, which caused his grip to tighten in her hair. The flash of pain made her core clench; she moaned. "Poe…"

"Kriff, I bet you're soaked," he continued, humming in pleasure as she resumed her worship of his cock. "Wet and hot. Do you need me inside you, sweetheart?"

She released him with a soft pop. "Yes. _Please."_

"Get up here." Rey stood, her legs a bit wobbly. Poe crushed his lips to hers, distracting her while he stripped off her leggings. The space between the seats was narrow, but Poe managed to get them into the pilot's seat with Rey in his lap. She cupped his face and kissed him deeply, her slick sex grinding against his straining erection. "Hurry, Sunshine," he panted.

"Why such a hurry, husband?" she teased, rolling her hips.

"Someone will probably be looking for us?"

"Hmm, don't care." The seat was just wide enough for her to straddle him; she wanted to enjoy this. She braced one hand on his shoulder as the other slipped between them. Poe held her steady as she guided him to her; their loud groans echoed in the tiny space as she took him in to her body. Rey wet her lips, breathing deeply until he was fully seated. She loved how incredible this felt, their bodies locked together like this. She leaned over, kissing him deeply. "You feel so good, Poe."

She was slowly killing him with those tiny swirls of her hips, but he couldn't help but agree. "You're perfect," he growled into her chest. He pressed wet kisses to her breasts as she rode him; Rey arched as he sucked one pert nipple into his mouth. She grabbed at his hair, hanging on as she moved faster and harder, their skin slapping together.

"Poe…kriff…so _good."_

"Lean back for me, sweetheart," he breathed. "Brace your hands on the console." His fantasies always imagined them doing this in hyperspace with the stars whizzing by, but they had time for that.

Rey did as he bid, her back arched. Poe gripped her hips, holding her firmly as he drove up to meet her thrusts. Rey cried out as he hit that perfect spot inside her. _"Poe," _she panted. "Right there, oh kriff…" Her words were lost in another wave of pleasure; her whole body was on fire. Her husband knew her body well now; he knew exactly what she needed to fall over the edge. One hand held her steady while the other circled her aching clit. Rey scrunched her eyes shut as she climaxed; colors burst behind her closed lids. She whimpered and moaned as Poe dragged out her high until he followed her, crying out her name. She trembled and shook as he spilled himself inside her; she _felt_ every twitch and spasm of his cock.

Poe held her as she collapsed against his chest, both panting for air. Rey buried her nose in the crook of his neck; her heart still hammered in her chest. Poe caressed her lower back gently with his fingertips, thankful they had a few minutes to just enjoy the moment. They would have precious few moments like this in the days to come. "Still with me, sweetheart?"

"Mmhmm." Rey raised her head, her lips brushing her husband's sweaty brow. "Everything you imagined, flyboy?"

He grinned. "Almost."

"Yeah, me too."

"Next time."

She raised a curious brow. "The Falcon or your X-wing?"

"The Falcon," he said as if it were obvious…then what she said fully registered. "Wait. An X-wing? _My_ X-wing?"

Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. "Nevermind."

But Poe pressed a finger to her chin, coaxing her eyes back to his. "You don't have to hide anything from me, Sunshine," he said softly. "I just…I'm sure you've noticed, but it's kinda cramped in there."

"So, you've never…?"

He shook his head. "Should I have?"

"How would I know?" She didn't like the sour feeling in her belly; she had no reason to be jealous. Poe loved her. He married her. He wanted to have children with her. And yet, the mental image of him with someone else played on her insecurities. She'd never been enough for anyone before. They always left her or wanted something from her. It was never her. Never just Rey. "Look, it's not important. Can we just leave it?"

Poe curled his hand around hers and drew it to his lips. They'd come a long way in a short time, but he knew that there were only some things that only time could heal. For both of them. "Everything about us is important, Rey. And for the record, there are _plenty_ of things that I've never done. I'm looking forward to doing them with _you."_

She felt silly, but Poe never made her feel anything less than completely loved. "Maybe we should start a list."

"Maybe we should." He kissed the tip of her nose. "We should probably get dressed."

She knew he was right, but it made her sad anyway. She longed for the days when they could leave all their responsibilities behind them. For a little while. She kissed him tenderly, telling him without words how much she appreciated his patience with her. She felt like the luckiest person in the galaxy.

* * *

Finn was the first one down the ramp, wrapping his two best friends into one of his bear hugs. Rey felt the relief emanating from him in waves. "We're okay, Finn," she said into his shoulder.

"You guys gotta stop scaring me like this," Finn said, his voice thick with emotion.

Poe gave his friend an extra squeeze. "Sorry, buddy. But it's not like we sought out trouble."

Finn chuckled dryly. "Trouble is practically your middle name, Poe."

"Everyone's safe," Rey said firmly. "That's what matters."

Finn gave each of their shoulders a squeeze before letting them go. "Any idea on who did this?"

Poe shook his head. "Not yet. We were hoping you might have some answers."

Finn glanced behind him. "We should get the Councilors inside. This place is secure?"

"Our hosts run security sweeps every couple of hours. No one wants to take any chances."

Poe took a few moments to greet the other new arrivals; this was his first time meeting some of the other Councilors in person. He preferred meeting face to face rather than holograms. It was easier to get a read on someone if you could look in their eyes. The half dozen beings looked around warily, clearly skittish about being here. With some luck, they wouldn't need to be here long. Just long enough to sort out their next steps.

Poe, Rey and Finn led the Councilors from the landing pad into the complex. The billowing smoke Rey had seen when she arrived was gone now, replaced by the giant crater near the center of the building. Much of the debris had been cleared; the search for remains was ongoing. The casualty lists were constantly revised as bodies (or more precisely, portions of bodies) were identified. The Iutov facilities were overwhelmed with caring for the injured. Those who were well enough were discharged, questioned thoroughly, and given permission to return to their respective systems.

They couldn't risk another large gathering of the galaxy's leaders until the perpetrators were brought to justice or destroyed. Poe hoped this meeting would be brief; he planned on tackling this problem himself. He didn't even care that they'd come after _him._ Someone tried to kill Rey—again. He wasn't going to rest until this was _done._

Once again, Iutov's Prime Minister was lending them the use of his facilities. He even graciously granted Poe his seat in the center of the large conference table. Rey sat to Poe's right, Finn to his left. Rey didn't want to get involved in politics, but this went beyond petty politics. If their suspicions were correct, then whoever did this was not only a threat to the formation of a new government, but a threat to her new Jedi Order. She needed to be a part of this.

Force, had it only been a few weeks since their visit to Naboo, sitting around a table like this? It felt like a different lifetime.

Poe stood, calling the meeting to order. "First, I'd like to thank everyone for coming so quickly. It is imperative we move swiftly to find the people who did this, so we can get back to the important work of creating a functioning government."

Fortunately, everyone at the table at least knew _of _each other, so there was no reason to waste time on pleasantries. Poe turned to the Prime Minister. "Minister Thirunett, is there any update on the investigation?"

Poe sat while the man gave his summary of events. Poe wanted to make it clear that despite his apparent seniority, he was committed to having the civilians run things. He didn't have the temperament to be a politician. He and the Resistance were there to keep the peace and hunt down the rest of the First Order. That was all. During the war, they'd found an old cache of documents from the Rebellion. At Leia's request, he'd looked through it, studied it, jotted his observations down. The most important thing he learned was completely de-militarizing was a mistake. Not yanking out the Empire by the root was a mistake. Yes, it was the creation of one man, but he had plenty of true believers in his cause. If they had all been arrested and tried, how might things have been different? If the New Republic had kept a more substantial force at their disposal, would that have stunted the rise of the First Order? So many what ifs. It made his head hurt.

Poe glanced to his right; Rey looked as pensive as he felt. He couldn't imagine doing any of this without her. So many choices, so many pieces had to fall in exactly the right order to bring her into his life. He knew that—as painful as some of those choices were—he'd do it all again, just to have her by his side.

"Our scientists have completed their analysis of the explosive device; it seems it was based on an old Imperial design. Unfortunately…"

Finn interrupted. "Wait, did you say Imperial?"

"Yes, General Finn. Is that significant?"

Finn placed a datacard into the slot at his seat and pulled up a schematic. Rey recognized it instantly. "Finn, that's the ship that attacked the Falcon!"

"Rose found it, after analyzing the pieces Blue Squadron brought back. It was still experimental at the end of the Civil War, so there weren't many made. These are either left over from then or the First Order got these plans and built new ones."

"I recognize that ship," Poe said. "That's a TIE Defender." He'd studied them at the Academy; Wedge used to tell them war stories during class. It was the best education he could have had, learning from someone who'd actually been in combat.

A TIE Defender had three solar panels instead of two, like the standard TIEs. Each panel had two laser cannons. The fighter was equipped to shoot missiles and proton torpedoes. Worse, it was shielded and had a hyperdrive, unlike standard Imperial TIEs. Wedge had a close call against one; he'd confided to Poe that it was one of the few times he'd really thought he wasn't going to make it.

Rey and the Falcon had shot down four of them and outrun two more.

Damn, she was good.

Poe resisted the urge to boast about what a fantastic pilot his wife was. He could do that later. In private. "We have reason to believe that the Emperor founded a legion of assassins during the first war that were then absorbed into the First Order," he explained to those who looked confused. "They've already tried to kill Rey. We found a list of potential targets at their abandoned facility on Caedia."

"And you believe they've made another attempt?" someone asked. "Do you believe the two attacks are connected, General Dameron?"

Poe nodded. "I do. I didn't have any proof, but now we might."

"General, I can have my scientists coordinate with the Resistance," Thirunett said. "I believe it is in our best interest to pool our resources?"

Poe was impressed with Thirunett so far. He wasn't much older than Poe, maybe five or six years? His predecessor was older, in his early fifties, just young enough to not have fought in the Civil War. Shonn Thirunett had sandy blond hair, green eyes and a full beard. He'd stepped in quickly and efficiently in the aftermath of the explosion; Poe liked what he'd seen so far. "I agree, Prime Minister."

"I'll lead that," Rey volunteered.

Poe nodded. "Good idea. You might spot something everyone missed."

"And if this terrorist attack was the work of assassins?" someone else asked. "What then? They may be in our midst, as we speak!"

Poe glanced at the representative from the Lothal sector. "Vellu, everyone left has been vetted and accounted for. There's no one in this complex that shouldn't be here. Besides, we've never seen them strike the same place twice. If I were them, I'd wait until we let our guard down to try again. Which we're not going to do. As soon as we have a plan in place for the continued function of the Council, all of you will return to more secure locations."

"Under your leadership?"

"Come on, Nex, you know Poe better than that," Finn chided. "You heard his speech. We want to hand over control to the government as soon as possible. But we can't do that if there _is _no legitimate government. This Council—no offense—is hanging on by a thread. We need to get this done _now."_

"Thanks, Finn." Poe nodded gratefully to his friend. "None of us want to be here. None of us want to be _hunted._ But that is exactly what we will be if we don't find these assassins and put an end to the threat. We need to work together, all of us."

They decided to take a break from the discussion, then return when everyone was more levelheaded. Rey touched Poe's arm. "Hey, I think I'm going to get started on that analysis," she said quietly. "You don't need me for this."

"I always need you, sweetheart."

She smiled softly. "You'll do just fine, General." She ignored the indiscreet stares of the beings around them and brushed a kiss to his lips. "I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?"

"Sounds good." Poe knew she was right; she didn't need to be there for the messy politics bit. And she wouldn't be far away. Poe would have Finn by his side; together, they'd work something out. "Dinner later?"

"Hmm, maybe we should enjoy it with other people this time," she teased gently. When they weren't working, they spent every spare moment together. Away from everyone else. The knowledge that they'd nearly been separated for good was still a bit too fresh for them.

The room had mostly cleared out as people went to get some air. Poe took advantage, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist. She ran her hands over his arms and along his shoulders as she leaned her forehead against his. "You know, I doubt anyone would miss us," Poe mused quietly.

"Finn would," Rey pointed out. Moments like this their nearly equal heights were a wonderful thing; they could get as close as they wanted quite comfortably. She toyed with his curls, carding her fingers through the soft strands. "Besides, someone has to convince all these people to cooperate."

"Because I'm known for my patience and cooperation," Poe deadpanned.

"Hey, don't sell yourself short," she scolded gently. "You'll find a way to make this work. I know you will."

"How?"

"Because I know you. I know how badly you want all this to be over so we can go home."

"Home." Poe leaned in and kissed her, a soft brush of his lips on hers. Rey sighed and leaned into it, savoring these last few moments before they parted. "You should go."

"Yeah." She kissed him one last time, then she forced herself to step back. Poe held onto her hand until she was too far away; Rey smiled at him one last time before she finally left the room. He knew his behavior might seem needy to someone who didn't understand everything they'd been through, but he didn't care. Poe had already lost too many people he loved; he couldn't lose Rey too. Given the close calls they'd both had, it would be a while before the anxious feeling in his stomach would go away whenever they were apart.

Force, he was tired.

Yet, he hardly knew any other life. His life had been one dangerous adventure after another since he was sixteen. Even after he returned home from his brief time as a spice runner, he knew that farming wasn't what he was meant to do. Wanting to do better and honor his parents' legacy, he'd enlisted. He didn't know how to stay in one place and just live. Maybe that was why the Force had put Rey in his path. Then he could have both. Adventure and home.

He just hoped they lived long enough to enjoy it.

* * *

Rey moved swiftly through the compound; she was anxious to see what the Iutovian scientists had found. As terrifying as Poe's theory was, it would make their mission easier. Perhaps the assassins were getting sloppy? Desperate? With the First Order and Palpatine destroyed, they had no leader, no real mission, aside from causing chaos. Chaos could very well be their mission now. Her grandfather used it in the final years of the Republic. It allowed him to use fear and instability to consolidate power in his hands.

The First Order was in shambles. But not eradicated. Until the survivors were caught and brought to justice, it gave Operation Python something to fight for.

They were using another empty storage room as a laboratory; it wasn't far from the hangar. After making a quick stop for her datapad, she headed that way. She passed workers taking a break from searching the rubble; she could sense the frustration and anger in the air. A peaceful convention on a peaceful planet had been brutally attacked; she understood why they felt as they did. For Rey, it was personal; her husband had likely been one of the intended victims. But she'd allowed her anger to overcome her once; she couldn't afford to let it happen again.

One of the techs looked up as she entered. "Master Skywalker. We weren't expecting you."

"After talking with the Prime Minister, it seems we may be able to help each other," she said. She explained about the possible link to the Empire regarding the twin attacks on her and the convention. "I've been studying the data sent in from the Resistance; I'd like to compare it to yours, if that's alright?"

The young woman nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. Our lab, such as it is, is at your disposal, Master Jedi."

Rey chose a corner removed from where everyone else was working. She didn't want to get in their way. She wanted to compare their findings to the data Rose sent. While she uploaded the data into the system, she plugged her portable holoprojector into a dock. A few moments later, Rose's image appeared. "Rey? Is that you? Oh my gosh! How are you? How's Poe?"

Rey smiled, relieved to see another friendly face. "I'm okay. Poe was stable when I got here, but he's better now. He and Finn are meeting with what's left of the Council right now."

"When Finn told us what happened…everyone was really worried, Rey. We just lost Leia…"

"I know, Rose."

"Well, I know you didn't holo me to catch up. What's going on?"

Once more, Rey explained Poe's conviction that the attack on her and the convention were connected. She was willing to trust his instincts. He'd been right about Caedia, more than she had been. Her gut had only gotten them into trouble. They needed to work together.

"It's plausible," Rose conceded. "Two leaders of the Resistance targeted at the same time? It's what I would do."

"Rose, is there something you're not telling me? Are you some sort of secret agent?"

"No! It's just…after so many years of fighting them, you start to think like them. It sucks."

"Definitely," Rey agreed. The two friends went through the data together, trying to find a link. Barring that, Rey would settle for a clue. Ships and bombs didn't appear out of thin air. They had to be made somewhere. If they could find that out, it would bring them one step closer to ending the threat. She pulled up the mock up of the device that the Iutovians created. "This is what they think the bomb looked like."

Rose studied it at her console. "I've definitely seen ones like this before. Old Imperial stuff."

"According to what we found at the Temple, Operation Python originated with my…" Rey paused; she couldn't mention her connection to Palpatine here. "The Emperor," she corrected. "Caedia was an old Imperial facility."

"How could they have gone undetected by the New Republic?" Rose mused quietly. She knew ending the Empire was a good thing, but New Republic seemed to have been more interested in peace than getting rid of the circumstances that led to the Empire in the first place. She hoped they didn't make the same mistakes this time around.

"I don't know, Rose. But we're going to find them and end this."

They spent the next several hours doing a thorough metallurgical analysis of the components of both the explosive device and the remains of the TIE Defenders. Most of the data didn't make sense without some idea where metal had been. However, Rey did find out why Poe had been in that shuttle; they were having trouble narrowing down the explosive accelerant from the device. It had been vaporized in the explosion. One of the techs' partner worked as a mechanic in the hangar and mentioned that one of the shuttles had been tampered with. Poe had volunteered to check it out, since they needed to keep the number of people looking into the bomb as small as possible. Plus, Poe knew his ships.

Rey discreetly did not mention that she'd interrupted him before he could finish.

They were still running tests when her comm started blinking. "Skywalker."

"Hey, Sunshine." She smiled at her husband's voice. "How's it going?"

"We haven't found anything definitive yet."

"Ready for a break?"

"Does it come with food?"

"You know it."

"On my way."

* * *

Poe breathed deeply, just like Rey taught him. He couldn't allow his frustration to get the better of him. He really thought things had been going well. After Rey left, the Council reconvened and—at Poe's insistence—chose a new leader. Bryn Has had long been Beph's unofficial second in command; he was chosen almost unanimously by the remaining members to lead. A communication was drafted to ask systems that had representatives killed in explosion to nominate replacements as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Poe nominated Prime Minister Thirunett to be added to their ranks.

Once that business was over, they broke for dinner. Poe tried to enjoy some quiet time with his wife and best friend, but no one else seemed to care. Realizing that he was unlikely to get away any time soon, Rey slipped away after she finished eating, much to Poe's chagrin. He and Finn spent the next five hours reviewing troop deployments with the rest of the Council, trying to figure out the best way to accommodate the still incoming requests for assistance. They'd scored several more victories over the last few weeks, helping local forces capture and arrest numerous First Order stragglers. Any officers that were captured were kept securely in prisons on Corellia, but the stormtroopers were posing a problem. Poe and Finn were committed to freeing anyone who could overcome their brainwashing and reuniting them with their families if they chose. Finn and Jannah had made great strides in that area, thanks to the information obtained from Mon Cala.

You could always count on a bureaucracy to have a paper trail.

Unfortunately, not all of them were like Finn and Jannah. Either they'd been reconditioned too many times, or they'd truly embraced the First Order's ideology. At the moment, it seemed to be an even split; that left them with a lot of former stormtroopers to imprison. No one seemed to want that on their doorstep. The debate went on for a long time; there were moments where it got heated. Finally, his patience snapped. Poe asked that the topic be shelved for the night. Hopefully, cooler heads would prevail in the morning.

He was mentally exhausted; he just wanted to hold his wife and get some sleep. He didn't need their connection in the Force to know she would still be working. He headed in the direction of the lab; the halls were almost completely deserted. He heard a loud beeping sound as he approached the door; what was that? The room was mostly dark as he entered, save one lamp in the far corner. Rey was asleep in her chair, hunched over her worktable with her head buried in her arms. As he got closer, she was whimpering and twitching, caught up in the throes of a nightmare. Poe reached out his hands and gently shook her shoulder. "Rey? Sunshine, wake up."

Rey jerked awake with a gasp. Her eyes were slightly wild and panicked; she sagged with relief when she saw him. "Poe."

"You okay?"

She started to nod, then she stopped. "It's always the same," she replied, sounding annoyed and exhausted. "Why won't it stop?"

Poe wrapped his arm around her shoulders and coaxed her to rest her head on his shoulder. She'd explained the dream to him, but he didn't understand it any more than she did. "I don't know, mi amor."

Rey inhaled his familiar scent; his warmth soothed her. He held her until her heart returned to a more normal rhythm. "I didn't mean to fall asleep in here."

"I didn't think the meeting would go so late. I think it's time for us to turn in."

Rey left his embrace and went around switching off the machines. She turned off the light too, bathing them in darkness. She found Poe's hand and led them back into the corridor. It was a warm night on Iutov; the walk to the visitors' residence wasn't long. Light from two of Iutov's moons illuminated their way. "How did it go?" Rey asked.

"They chose Has to be in charge."

"That makes sense." Rey wasn't particularly fond of him, but she didn't need to be.

"Then we got into another discussion about the stormtroopers."

Rey squeezed his hand. "You and Finn didn't hurt anyone, right?"

"No, but it was close." Poe understood their reluctance to see the stormtroopers as human beings, worthy of compassion and a fair chance. He'd been that way once, before a stormtrooper saved his life. But he didn't want to rebuild the galaxy on a foundation of injustice and broken families. That wasn't right. "Whatever the First order did to them…it's hard to break, Rey."

"They were kidnapped as children, Poe. It's all they know."

"You were left with a bastard like Unkar Plutt, but you don't go around blindly following orders and killing people, Rey."

"It can be done. Finn did it. He's our best friend. For everyone like him, we need to give them a chance."

"I hear you. I've been trying to explain that to people who've never been in combat or held at blasterpoint. It's a difficult situation."

"Sometimes, all it takes is a little kindness." She squeezed his hand. "What about Yavin?"

"What about it?"

"Well, people like your parents decided to settle there after the war. Maybe we could start another settlement. You know, for the stormtroopers. Let them decide their own fate."

Poe blinked. It would take some negotiating with the local government, but Poe thought it was a great idea. The Resistance wouldn't be on Yavin forever. Once a new government was instituted, they would probably want to move things into a more central location. Then Rey could open her new training temple. "What about the hard cases?"

"Well, they'd have to face justice, I think. This new government is going to have courts, right?"

"I certainly hope so." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "They didn't teach this sort of thing at the Academy."

"Hmm, maybe you should fix that in the new one."

"You think there's going to be new one?"

"There'll have to be, won't there? And didn't you say you could be a flight instructor?"

He chuckled. "I did. Though it sounds like you're trying to get rid of me, wife."

"Why would I do that? I like you right here." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I know you'll be brilliant at whatever you decide to do."

"Beph said it was my destiny to lead."

"There are a lot of ways to lead, Poe."

"I know. The work we're trying to do now—I mean, aside from trying not to get killed—is important. I just never imagined myself doing it." He always assumed Leia would be there to lead them into the future. She always seemed to know what came next.

"You're doing the best you can. It's all any of us can do."

Their temporary home was quiet; the staff that looked after the place had long since gone to bed. They took turns getting ready for bed; Rey found Poe out on the balcony, staring up at the stars. He did that when he was deep in thought. The moonlight turned his bronze skin silver; his hair looked inky black against the star-studded sky. Carefully, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Everything okay?"

"Just thinking."

"I noticed. You wanna talk about it?"

"We should get some sleep."

"Maybe I'd rather talk to my husband."

Poe smiled to himself. He did love that word on her lips. "I was thinking about the future."

"Well, I definitely want to talk about that," she said, smiling. "It does involve me, right?"

He laughed. "Of course, it does." He turned, drawing her against his chest. He wore no shirt; his skin was warm under her cheek. "I think…no, I'm damn near certain they're going to ask me to lead the…whatever the Resistance turns into."

"I know."

Of course, she did. "Until a few days ago, I was going to refuse."

"You were? Why?"

"A lot of reasons. I'm so kriffing tired of fighting, Rey. It's all I know, but I don't enjoy it. I used to think I did, but now…I'm just tired. And then there's you. Us, I guess. I mean it when I say I would love nothing better than to travel the galaxy with you. Now we're building a home of our own; we're gonna have kids one day."

"Poe, I'm home wherever you are. It's not just a house we build on Yavin."

"I know. But if I take on the role they want, we'll be apart. More than I would like. I don't want our life to be like that, us snatching moments here and there. I want to wake up beside you, do all those ridiculous things happy couples do. All the things my parents never got to do."

"Poe, it's going to take time to rebuild the Order. Yes, I want to start a temple on Yavin, but I still have no idea what I'm doing. Even with Ezra and Jacen to help me…it's so scary. Luke tried and failed. I don't have any formal training. I'm learning about the Force as I go. What kind of teacher would I be?"

"A good one. Look at Finn. He held that door open on Caedia so we wouldn't get crushed. You helped him do that, Rey."

"Poe, our life can be whatever we want it to be. You can have a role as General and I can be a Jedi. And it wouldn't be forever. They want you because they know you'll do a good job. The galaxy needs someone like you to get things off to the right start. Then, if you decided you want something else, we can figure that out then. Though, I will need a co-flight instructor at the temple," she finished with a teasing grin.

"Co-flight instructor, huh?"

"I mean, I could always ask Jacen…"

Poe silenced her with a kiss. "I'll take the job, sweetheart."

* * *

Rey blinked hard against the bright light. Just moments before, she'd been caught up in strange dream, following two large winged beasts as they flew over head. The land around them was lush and green with huge floating rocks and a palace in the distance. She walked along a narrow road following a tall Jedi with brown hair and a scar on his right eye. Rey wasn't sure who he was, but she instinctively trusted him. Behind her was another Jedi, also tall, with red hair and a beard. Her mentors. Her friends. She knew as long as they stayed together, they would be safe.

Rey shook her head; she had no idea where such a dream came from. All of Rey's mentors were dead. And she would definitely remember a place with floating mountains. The more she tried to remember the more the dream slipped through her fingers.

At least this one was more pleasant than the nightmares she'd been having lately.

She felt bad for Poe, being jerked awake at all hours the last few nights. He never complained, always there to comfort her until she fell asleep again. It was so frustrating, reliving the same dream night after night. It was like someone was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

She turned on her side, expecting to find her husband beside her. But the bed was empty. Empty and cold. She ran her hand over the place he should have been, wondering what time it was. She raised her head enough to look at the chrono. She blinked. That couldn't be right! It was well after noon! No wonder Poe had already left for the day. Why had he let her sleep?

She held the sheet to her chest as she sat up. A piece of flimsi sat on the table beside the bed. It was a note from Poe.

_Hey Sunshine,_

_I got called early to meet with the Council, but you looked so peaceful that I knew I had to let you sleep. I hope you can forgive me; I know how hard you've been working. I also know how tired you've been. You can't hide from me, mi amor. Come find me when you wake up; you'll probably save me from punching someone. _

_Love you,_

_Poe_

She wanted to be annoyed with him, but she couldn't, especially when he was right. This was the most refreshed she'd felt since they left Yavin. A night of uninterrupted sleep was exactly what she needed. She'd have to thank him properly later.

She did have work to do, so she forced herself to start moving. She showered, dressed, brushed out her hair. It was getting longer, longer than she'd ever worn it before. Keeping her hair to a manageable length was habit; she was used to spending long hours scavenging old Imperial wrecks or doing her Jedi training. She started to pull it up into her customary three buns, but then she changed her mind. Instead, she twisted it all into a knot, similar to one she'd once seen Leia use. She liked it.

She quickly discovered the Poe had done more than just let her sleep. Once she was dressed, she found a tray of exotic pastries and savory treats in the main living area. Rey loved trying new things; if they had time, she made a point of trying the local cuisine everywhere they went. It was so like Poe to remember. Everything smelled delicious, so she decided to appease her rumbling stomach before she found her thoughtful husband.

She was halfway through the plate when she heard a door open and close. "Rey?"

"Here, Poe!"

The sound of his boots got closer and closer, then he was there, a smile tugging at his lips. Rey felt the weight on his shoulders, but his focus was on her. "I wondered if you were going to sleep the day away," he mused, leaning over to press a kiss to the crown of her head.

"You shouldn't have let me sleep."

"Why not?"

"I have work to do."

"I talked to Rose this morning. She still going through the results of the tests you ran yesterday. If there was something, I would have woken you." He leaned against the table beside her. "If anyone needed a good night's sleep, it's you."

"I do feel better," she confessed. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job as your husband, Master Jedi."

She stood, curling her fingers around the crystal that hung from his neck. She tugged gently, meeting him halfway in a kiss. His hands slid loosely around her waist, keeping her close. Not that she wanted to get away. Their lips continued to dance for several minutes, each content to soak the other in. Poe needed her calm soothing presence; dealing with all the political debate and posturing was exhausting. Some of the Council members were starting to question the need for a new constitution, given what happened to the convention. Poe, Finn and others were against that, obviously. Representative government might not be perfect, but Poe had no intention of trading one would-be dictatorship for another.

With a new leader chosen and new members being selected, they'd done what Poe set out to do when he invited them all there. They should disperse. But Has wanted a solid plan on how to deal with the assassins before anyone went anywhere. Until they had a solid lead, Poe didn't feel like it was his place to force them. They were better than that.

But their bickering was giving him a headache.

"You okay?" Rey asked, carding her fingers through his hair. As always, it relaxed him.

"Part of me wishes I'd stayed in bed with you," he confessed. "I don't know how Leia dealt with all that. After about an hour I was ready to bang my head against the wall."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"Finn likes your idea for the stormtroopers, by the way."

"It seems he's found another cause to fight for."

"Yeah. He understands what they're dealing with. None of us can. I'm proud of him." Poe and Finn had been through a lot together; it was no surprise to Poe that his friend would advocate for his former brothers. For decades, the First Order stole children from all over the galaxy; it was their job to make it right if they could. "He and Has were talking about it when I left."

"That's a surprise."

"I think Beph really changed his mind. Now that Beph's gone, he's trying to follow his example. It's one of the things giving me hope that this isn't a waste of time."

"There are still people who care about the fate of the galaxy, Poe. Look how many came to Exegol."

"There were times when I had my doubts. Like Crait. If you hadn't been there…"

She quieted him with a kiss. "Hey, we made it. We won. If we could do that, then we can do this. Together."

"We have to find Operation Python," he said seriously. "They've already come after you twice."

"And I'm okay, Poe. Safe and sound."

"I've lost so many people, Rey. We both have. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Rey squeezed him extra tight as he hugged her to his chest. She felt the same way about him. They had so much more to lose now, but they had to be strong and face it together. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Poe tipped her head back and kissed her. Rey sighed and melted against him, sensing how much he needed this. He'd been the one in the bacta tank, but he was more upset about them coming after _her_. There hadn't been many people who cared about her that much; it meant the world to her. To be loved like that. A surprised sound caught in her throat as he picked her up and twisted them, so she was perched on the table. Rey cradled his face in her hands as he deepened his kiss, his tongue sliding sinfully against hers. "Missed you," she murmured, as his lips slid down her throat.

"Missed you too, wife," he replied, groaning as she wrapped her legs around his waist, trapping him against her. The idea of losing her felt like lead in his gut; here, she was warm and soft and alive. He could taste the sweetness on her lips from the treats he left for her, which only reminded him of somewhere else that was sweet. He could feel her through their clothes; he was rapidly losing what was left of his good sense. "Rey…"

"Shhh." She kissed him again, not wanting to think about anything but him. She could still see him in that bacta tank when she closed her eyes; he wasn't the only one afraid of losing the person they loved most.

Poe was about to throw caution to the wind and make love to her right on the table, but the moment was broken by his beeping comm. "Kriffing hell," he cursed.

"You should answer that."

"Don't want to." He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear, earning him a low moan.

"Poe…"

"I know, I know." He took a deep breath, then he switched on his comm. "Dameron. This better be important."

"Well, hello to you too, Poe."

Poe bit back his groan at the last second. "Zorii. How did you get the frequency for my comm?"

"A lady never reveals her secrets, flyboy. You know that."

Rey inhaled sharply; her hands tightened instinctively around Poe's neck. Flyboy was _her_ nickname for her husband. Hearing someone else use it—especially Zorii Bliss—set her nerves on edge. And Zorii, of course, noticed.

"Am I interrupting?"

"What do you want, Zorii?" Poe asked, ignoring her question. He pressed a soft kiss to his wife's lips; Rey relaxed a fraction. _Love you, _he mouthed silently. Rey replied in kind, making Poe smile. Why would he want anything else when he had her?

"I believe you asked me for information on some First Order assassins."

Poe rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for games, Zorii. Just spit it out."

"You're no fun." There was a pause, then Zorii spoke again. "You owe me big time for this, Dameron. The hoops I had to jump through for this…"

Poe realized that Zorii not only knew Rey was there, but that she was deliberately trying to make Rey uncomfortable by being overly familiar. Yes, Poe once had feelings for Zorii. But he wasn't a naïve kid anymore. He was happily married to the love of his life. Zorii would just have to get over it. "Yes, I owe you. Can we just get to the information now?"

"Fine. From what I can piece together, that base you found on Caedia? That was the primary base of operations."

"We kinda figured that out, Zorii, since they went to all that trouble to remove it from the maps."

"Well, apparently, they made dozens of old Sith temples into safe houses. All over the galaxy."

"And could they be using one of these Sith temples now?" Poe felt Rey shiver; the Sith were a sensitive topic for her.

"It's almost like you're a general, Dameron," Zorii replied sweetly. Poe ignored her and remained quiet until she continued. "Friend of mine, Duro bounty hunter, got contacted during a job, warning him to back off. Got his bounty paid in full for _not _doing the job."

"What was the job?"

"To kill the head of the Mining Guild."

Poe cursed. "Tell me he knows who contacted him."

"Almost as good. I can tell you where the signal came from. Tushus system."

"I've never heard of it."

"I have," Rey said, speaking for the first time. "It was listed in one of the books we burned on Naboo."

"Sunshine, are you sure? We only got a quick look at that stuff."

She nodded. "I'm sure, Poe." Of course, her grandfather would have a list of Sith temples. She couldn't say so in front of Zorii though. Back in the days of the Empire, the assassins were most likely some of Palpatine's Sith acolytes. The First Order liked to pretend the Force wasn't real; it made sense that they would pluck recruits out of the stormtrooper ranks.

Poe nodded. That was enough for him. "Alright then. Thanks, Zorii."

"That's all I get? Thank you?"

"Like you said, I owe you. You can collect if I'm not dead." He switched off the connection and focused on Rey. "You okay, Rey?"

"I don't understand what you saw in her."

Poe chuckled. "I was young, far from home. She was different from anyone I'd ever met. She was nice to me, kept me from doing too many truly stupid things. She wasn't always like…that." Poe leaving the crew so abruptly probably contributed to Zorii becoming the woman she was today, but he couldn't help that.

"She was trying to flirt with you."

"Because she wants what she can't have. She always has. It's got nothing to do with me, Sunshine."

"Sure about that?"

He kissed her firmly. "Hey, I have everything I want right here." He grinned. "Nothing to be jealous of, sweetheart. I promise."

"I'm not jealous."

"That the Jedi talking or my wife?"

"Careful, husband."

"Yeah, not getting tired of you calling me that any time soon."

Rey rolled her eyes; then she kissed him to shut him up. It was a much better way to spend their time then talking about Zorii Bliss' intentions.

"Poe, where have you been?" Finn demanded. He spotted Rey at her worktable, examining a star map. "Oh hey, Rey."

Poe felt the heat creep up his neck, but he ignored it. He had no reason to be embarrassed. True, his break had lasted longer than he expected, but it wasn't entirely his fault. Rey played a part too. The knot that her hair had been in was gone now; she wore it down, partly to cover the mark at the base of her neck. Poe wasn't sad about that either.

Rey shared a look with her husband; she smothered her smile at the flush on his cheeks. Finn definitely didn't want to know what they had been up to. "Hey Finn."

"Any luck yet?"

"Actually," Poe said, "we do have some news. I heard from Zorii."

"Zorii? As in the woman who nearly blew your brains out? That Zorii?"

"Yeah. She's got contacts in the underworld; I asked her for help."

"And we trust her now?"

"She did fight on Exegol, Finn," Rey scolded.

"Fine. What did she have to say that was so important that you were gone for three hours?!"

Poe ignored that, choosing instead to explain what Zorii had told them. Armed with that information, they could finally make some progress. The readings from the metallurgy tests hadn't made sense before; both the ships and shards from the bomb carried residue of unknown origin. At least, it had been unknown until they knew what they were looking for. The Tushus system was on the edge of wild space; it had only been charted in the last thousand years. There were samples from its surface that had been in the Jedi archives, which had later been taken over by the Empire. After Poe, Rey, Finn and Jannah left Coruscant Poe had ordered a team to return and retrieve whatever information the Empire had tried to bury.

Apparently, his foresight had paid off.

"Tushus has six planets and almost twenty moons," Rey explained. "According to Beaumont's research, the Sith temple is on the fifth planet. The atmosphere has a corrosive effect on some metals; that's what we found in our tests. Both the TIEs that attacked me and the bomb here have that same corrosion. It's microscopic, but it's there. That's where they are."

Finn looked impressed. "They definitely made a mistake, coming after both of you," he said.

Poe nodded. "They did do some significant damage though." It would take some time to recover. In the meantime, they could make the galaxy safe from those who would seek to destroy them.

"So, when do we leave?"

"What?"

"We're going to Tushus, right? This our chance to take out Operation Python, Poe!"

"I know, and we're going to, buddy. But I don't want us to go in blind. We know they have some TIEs, so they're not defenseless."

"You're usually the shoot first, ask questions later type, man."

Poe huffed. "I know. It's weird for me too."

"Poe's right," Rey said. They'd talked about it before Finn arrived, trying to come up with a coherent plan. With the TIEs a factor, they couldn't just take the Falcon and go. They needed to bring the full weight of the Resistance down on Operation Python, end things once and for all. Poe had already ordered a couple of probe droids to the sector to gather some much needed intelligence. He'd also ordered a few squads of ground troops and Blue Squadron to meet them on Iutov. He wanted to be ready to move at a moment's notice.

"The Falcon's too recognizable," Finn said, after they explained what they'd done so far.

"Agreed," Rey replied. She didn't like it, but they needed another plan.

"At the Battle of Endor, my dad was part of the landing team to take down the shield generator," Poe said. "They got there on a stolen Imperial shuttle."

"There is plenty of First Order equipment out there," Finn said, understanding immediately. "Reva would be happy to send us one."

"You wanna take care of that, buddy?"

"Who's flying the shuttle?"

"I am," Rey and Poe said together.

"That is my cue to let you two lovebirds figure that out without me," Finn joked. "Poe, you'll need to help explain this all to the Council, alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be there, Finn. I will," he said when his friend arched a brow at him. "Get outta here!" Poe turned back to his wife. "Should we flip for who gets to fly the shuttle, sweetheart?"

"You're not serious!"

He grinned. "Nope. Depending on what kind Finn gets us, it'll most likely be a two seater, like the Falcon."

She shoved at his shoulder. "You like being difficult, don't you, flyboy?"

"Only for you, mi amor." It was such a relief to finally have a plan of action to focus on. Anything was better than sitting around here, listening to politicians bluster and argue. The sooner they got to Tushus, the better.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's** **note:** I know it's been a couple of weeks, but I wanted to update this before I went on vacation. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**Chapter 22**

Poe tapped his finger on the conference table; he didn't know what was taking so long. They'd requested the meeting over an hour ago. Hours of planning were ready to be put into motion. Several fighter squadrons were already on their way to the Tushus system from Yavin. They were due at the rendezvous in less than two days time. It was finally time to take this fight to Operation Python; Poe was anxious to get going.

The sooner those assassins were eliminated, the better.

However, before they could leave, Poe needed to apprise the Council of his departure. There weren't enough security droids in the galaxy that would get him to divulge their destination or the precise nature of their mission. He wasn't a fool. Operation Python had been one step ahead of them the whole time; that had to end. The galaxy was depending on the success of this mission.

Rey curled her fingers around his, stopping his tapping. "You're making _me_ anxious," she whispered.

"Sorry," he murmured. He raised their entwined hands to his lips, brushing her knuckles. "I never liked just sitting around."

"I know." She knew how important the success of this mission was to Poe. It was important to her too. It was yet another wrong of her grandfather's that she could—in some small way—make right. They couldn't bring anyone back, but they could prevent any more senseless deaths.

"You gonna let me fly?" he asked casually.

She snorted. "You wish."

"I've never flown a First Order shuttle."

"Neither have I."

"But I've flown a TIE fighter."

"Didn't you crash?"

"We didn't _crash._" He retreated a bit at Finn's huff. "Okay, but any landing you survive is a good one."

"Can we not do this now?" Finn groaned. "You're making me want to fly with Chewie." Chewie arrived with the First Order shuttle the day before, along with Jannah. The plan was for Chewie to pilot the Falcon while Poe, Rey and a small crew took the shuttle.

"That might not be a bad idea," Rey said. "The Falcon can always use a co-pilot."

"Always?" Poe said, a knowing smirk on his lips.

Rey rolled her eyes, even as she blushed. Truthfully, she and Poe were _probably _the only people who could pilot the old freighter alone. That wasn't why she thought Finn flying with Chewie was a good idea though. Not that she'd ever tell him that.

"That's it. I'm definitely flying with Chewie."

Poe chuckled. He didn't care one bit that they made others nauseous with their happiness. Poe had waited all his life to feel like this; he certainly wasn't going to hide it. Not even from his best friend. He leaned over. "Looks like you and I will have that cockpit all to ourselves," he whispered.

"You're impossible."

"But you love me for it, Sunshine."

"Hmm, maybe."

Poe was about to retort when Has started to call the meeting to order. "it seems that everyone has assembled. Shall we begin? I believe you have a report for us, General?"

Poe stood. Now that it was time, he was all business. He would have to lie; fortunately, there was a reason Leia chose him for clandestine spy missions all over the galaxy. "We've received reports of an attempt by First Order stragglers to rendezvous. I don't need to tell you how detrimental to our cause this would be if they succeed. It is imperative that we stop this attempt before it begins." He paused. "General Finn, Master Skywalker and I will be leading this attack personally."

Instantly, a dozen voices started to argue. Most were in the room; three were attending their first meeting via holo. "General Dameron," one of them called, trying to make themselves heard. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"This is a military matter, Vellu. Who else would you suggest?"

Has spoke up. "I believe I can speak for several members here, General. We suffered an enormous loss when General Organa passed. The Resistance is one of the few things holding us together. Losing you—or worse, all of you—would be a severe blow that I am afraid we may not survive."

"We survived this long," Finn countered. "Against worse odds than this."

"I mean no disrespect."

"Funny, it doesn't sound like that."

Poe held up his hand. "This is not up for debate. Our forces are already in motion. I'm telling you this as a courtesy. That's all."

"Where are you going? Don't we at least deserve to know that?"

Poe shook his head. "We can't risk a leak. No offense to anyone, but the fewer beings that know the better."

"And what about these assassins? Are we just supposed to wait until they attack again?"

"I propose that after the meeting adjourns, all of you return to more secure locations. Commander Connix can help if you would like Resistance assistance."

"We get no say in this, do we?"

Rey stood, her lightsaber clearly visible. "We don't like this secrecy any more than you," she said softly but firmly. "However, until the situation is more stable, we must do the best we can. First Order sympathizers could be anywhere."

Poe pressed his hands to the table and leaned forward. "You have given me your trust by asking me to remain in command. All I'm asking for is a little bit more."

Has looked around the room; it was quiet. There were a few that didn't look pleased, but Poe had a feeling that Has knew about important this mission was, even without knowing its precise nature. His eyes lingered on Poe's for a long minute. "Very well. You will advise us when the mission is complete?"

"Of course."

The meeting ended soon after. Poe and Rey headed to the Falcon to get some of their things to move over to the shuttle. Rey went to their quarters while Poe went back to the hold. There, he gave his blaster a thorough cleaning and loaded his bandolier with more firepower. He might not have a lightsaber, but he could still fight. If the last few weeks had taught him anything, it was that he and Rey were a good team. He wasn't letting her out of his sight.

He heard pounding feet in the distance, coming up the ramp. "Chewie?" he called. "Is that you, buddy? Might need a hand back here!"

There was no answering roar from the Wookie. Poe poked his head around the corner, his hand on his blaster. He was stunned to see Hera rushing toward him, her son on her heels. Her face looked thunderous; Poe shrank back a little. "Hera?"

"Why didn't you tell me TIE Defenders attacked the Falcon?"

"We didn't…"

Hera cut him off. "You're going after them, right? I'm coming."

Poe held his hands up. "Hera, slow down." He didn't like lying to Hera, but he tried anyway. "We're headed to stop the First Order…"

"That's a load of bantha shit, Poe Dameron," she snapped. "I expected better of you."

Poe glared at Jacen. "How did you even know?"

"Hey, I just sketched the ship when she asked. She figured the rest out herself."

"You've fought one?"

Hera nodded. "During an attack on Lothal. That's where the factory was."

Poe blinked. "Was?"

Hera's gaze flickered to Jacen. "Our mission was to destroy the factory. We knew that ship was no match for us. If it had gone into mass production…" She paused, lost in the memory. "I led Phoenix Squadron on a raid to open the Imperial blockade, so our bombers could destroy the factory. Kanan, Ezra, Sabine and Zeb were to lead the ground assault. One of those ships nearly shot me down, but I managed to destroy it first, with a little help from the Empire."

"Mom…" Jacen murmured, his hand on her shoulder.

"No, you need to hear this." She looked at Poe, then fixed her eyes on a point over his shoulder. "Once we broke atmo, more TIEs attacked. I lost my whole squadron. I crashed in the capital, but eventually, I was captured. They wanted me alive. Kanan, Ezra and Sabine infiltrated the base to rescue me." Hera's shoulders shook; she turned to her son. "We almost made it out. Your father…he rescued me from Governor Price's office, along with my kalikori."

"The kalikori? I thought you got it from Grandpa."

"Thrawn stole it from our family on Ryloth."

"Why didn't I know any of this? I thought you told me everything!"

Jacen turned away, clearly upset. Poe saw Rey appear in the doorway, concern all over her face.

"Jacen…" Hera sighed. "Kanan and I managed to get to the fuel depot, but they pursued us on walkers. We were waiting for Sabine and Ezra to pick us up when the firing started. I had just gotten onboard the transport when the fuel pod suffered a direct hit. Kanan…" A tear slid down her cheek. "He held the fireball back with the Force. I'd never seen anything like it. I tried to go after him, but he shoved me back onto the transport. For just a moment, his eyes…I could see them again, the startling green. Then he was gone."

Rey wrapped her arm across Hera's shoulders. "He knew he had to save you and Jacen."

"I know. But it still hurts." She released a shuddering breath, but otherwise she was calm. "The explosion destroyed the factory's ability to produce the Defender. Kanan didn't just save me and our son. He saved hundreds of pilots from facing that machine."

"Maybe even my mom," Poe said quietly.

Hera nodded. "If that ship is back, I need to be a part of this. I won't let Kanan's sacrifice become meaningless."

Poe shared a look with Rey. She nodded. "Alright. But I'm in command, okay? You get an order from me, Finn or Rey, you obey it. Understood?"

Hera nodded. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Good."

"So, what's the plan?"

Poe started to brief Hera on the mission while Rey went to find Jacen. She could feel his turmoil, his grief over the father he never really knew. She found him in the hold of the Ghost. "Are you okay?"

Jacen was digging in one of the storage containers; he didn't look up until he found what he was looking for. Rey had never seen anything like it; it was made of wood, the main part in shape of a T with smaller wooden pieces dangling from the ends. It was clearly old, bits of it were worn, but it was a beautiful piece of art as well.

"It's a kalikori," Jacen murmured quietly, kneeling on the metal floor. He'd moved into a Jedi meditation pose without realizing it. "Mom says it's been in our family for decades, passed down from parent to child."

"It's beautiful," Rey said, mimicking him on the floor. She didn't get too close, but she wanted him to know she was there. It felt like he needed a friend.

"See this part here?" he asked, fingering an upside down pyramid. It was painted a blueish green with lightning bolts etched on it. "Mom added this for Dad after he…" He swallowed heavily. "It was the closest they got to getting married."

Rey felt a tear slide down her cheek. And she felt guilty. She and Poe were living the life that Kanan had wanted with Hera. It wasn't fair. "Jacen…"

"I know I'm being stupid," he confessed. "I don't blame her for not telling me the whole truth. Knowing he died a hero was enough."

"He's proud of you, Jacen. You know that."

"Seeing his…ghost or whatever…sometimes I still wonder if that was real."

"It was. Kanan's not the first Force ghost I've met. I'm glad you got to see him."

"Me too." He ran his fingers over the family heirloom. "We went to Ryloth for a time when I was young. I always felt like an outsider because I didn't _look_ like a Twi'lek. Grandpa loved me regardless; he told me all about his adventures as a freedom fighter. But I didn't have many other friends."

"I'm sorry, Jacen."

"You know no one would believe me when I said my dad was a Jedi?" He laughed mirthlessly. "Eventually, I gave up. When it became obvious I was like Dad, we left. I didn't figure that part out until later." He knew his mother was trying to protect him. She still was, even though he was all grown up. He never considered a place in the galaxy other than by her side, piloting the Ghost. But now…he wondered if there was another path for him. His father's path. Kanan had clearly ignored the Jedi Code; his existence was proof that that. Rey was a new kind of Jedi; she didn't hide from her feelings. Jacen admired that about her.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," he confessed. "I don't know what my path is."

Rey reached forward and covered his hand with hers. "We'll figure it out."

"Maybe my connection to the Force has faded." He made a conscious effort to _not_ tap into it; partly because he was afraid it. Being a Jedi killed his father.

"There's only one way to find out." Rey gently took the kalikori from him and placed it on the ground between them. "Raise it with the Force."

"Rey, I don't know…"

"I've felt you use the Force," she said quietly. "You use it every time you fly, whether you realize it or not. Now go on."

Jacen looked at her skeptically, but he decided to do as she asked. Or try. He wasn't sure this would work. He spent so long ignoring his connection to the Force; it felt like an ill-fitting flight suit. He took a deep breath and reached out his hand the way Hera described whenever she told him about Kanan. He tried to picture his father, the Jedi Knight, as he was in life. _Guide me, Dad, _he thought. _Please._

Rey watched as the kalikori twitched a few times. "You're doing great," she murmured. Once again, she found herself in the role of teacher; she hoped she didn't screw it up.

_You can do this, Jacen._

Jacen's eyes snapped open; his heart raced. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"I think…I think I just heard my dad."

Instead of thinking he was insane, Rey smiled. "You probably did. He's always with you, Jacen."

It was going to take him a _long _time to get used to this Jedi stuff. "Okay, I'm gonna try again." He centered himself, eyes closed, and reached out. He felt something flicker across his fingertips, featherlight. He focused on it, letting that feeling flow through him. _The Force binds the galaxy together,_ Kanan's voice intoned. _Bend it to your will._

Rey watched as the kalikori rose tentatively off the ground. In seconds, it rose higher and higher and higher until it was at eye level. "Jacen," she whispered. "Open your eyes."

Jacen did so, nearly dropping the family heirloom in shock. "I did it!"

Rey grinned. "You did."

"Well, well, well," a familiar voice said from behind them. "Isn't this interesting?"

"Oh Jacen!" Hera rushed past Poe; Jacen was careful to set the kalikori down before his mother hugged him.

"You're not mad?"

She shook her head. "I was wrong to keep your father's path from you. I'm so sorry."

"I still don't know if I want to be a Jedi," he warned.

"There's plenty of time to figure that out. I'm so proud of you, son."

Rey stood and stepped into Poe's arms. "Everything okay?"

He kissed her temple. "We talked. The Ghost is coming with us."

Rey squeezed his waist. She understood Hera's desire to come on this mission. "Is the shuttle loaded?"

"Almost." He drew her a few steps away. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Sunshine, but I think you've got yourself another student."

"You heard him. He might not be a Jedi."

"Finn might not be either, but you're still training him to use the abilities he does have." He looked over at Jacen. "I think he will though. Be a Jedi, I mean."

"What makes you say so?"

"The same reason I became a pilot," he replied softly. "Losing a parent like that, knowing some of what made them tick…it's hard to turn away from. Dad spent a lot of time trying to warn me about the dangers, but we both know I didn't listen. Flying's in my blood. Just like being a Jedi is in yours. And his."

"Our kids are going to be terrors, aren't they?" she teased.

Poe laughed. "Probably. And I wouldn't have it any other way." He kissed her tenderly. "I do know they'll have two parents who love them."

Rey hugged him; Poe was always so confident in the future they would have. A home on Yavin, kids running around, traveling. He wanted to be by her side for all of it. Once all this was over, they could do whatever they wanted. That image kept her going through every setback. One day soon, they would be free.

* * *

"Did you check the hyperdrive?" Rey asked, pushing a few flashing buttons to reset the ship's systems.

Poe slid into the seat beside her. "Yep. And the comms and the hydraulics, just as you asked, Master Jedi."

Rey smirked at her husband. "You sound like I gave you an order, General."

"I take everything you say very seriously," he teased back. They were alone except for the droids down in the cargo hold. It was nice to be able to flirt so brazenly with her on a mission and not have anyone around to scold them.

"Liar," she shot back.

"Maybe I'll prove it to you later, Mrs. Dameron."

Rey flipped on the beeping comm. "Shuttle 2385," she intoned, not taking her eyes off her husband's handsome face.

"Can you two stop making eyes at each other long enough for us to get under way?" Finn asked.

Rey blushed, even though Finn wasn't there. He'd clearly flown with them enough to know exactly what was happening, even if he wished he didn't. "We're ready," she confirmed, reaching for the panel that fired the engines.

"We'll meet you at the rendezvous in thirty-six hours," Poe added. The channel was open to all the ships about to take off. "Remember, each of us uses a different hyperspace lane. You find trouble, you send a distress call to Yavin base. _Do not continue to the rendezvous. _Is that understood?"

A chorus of affirmatives came across the channel. One by one the ships rose from the floor of the hangar and climbed through Iutov's atmosphere. Rey fired the engines to the shuttle; it rumbled to life under them. She'd never flown a First Order ship, but all the controls were clearly labeled in Basic. The ship was designed for simple cargo and passenger transport, mostly from ship to ship or ship to planet, but it did have a hyperdrive for long range missions. The yoke was stiff in her hands, but the ship responded when she asked it to. They rose higher and higher, breaking through the clouds and into open space.

"Calculations complete for the jump," Poe said, watching the controls on his side of the console.

"Would you like to do the honors?" she asked.

He shot her a grin. "With pleasure."

The first several hours were uneventful. Rey minded the cockpit while Poe went to check on the droids. C-3PO—once again—complained about space travel. R2 and BB-8 recalibrated their mapping systems with whatever they could find in the First Order's old data banks. D-O hovered around, clearly nervous about something.

"Something the matter, Dio?" Poe asked, kneeling on the grated floor.

"B-b-beebee-Ate says we're headed to the Tushus system?"

"Yeah. Have you heard of it?"

"M-m-my old master sometimes went there."

"Ochi? Why would he go there?"

"T-t-temple."

"A Sith temple?" Judging by the little droid's agitation, Poe knew he was right. It made a certain kind of sense. Ochi was one of Palpatine's Sith accolytes. Sith temples would be a good place to hide for a Jedi hunter. "Dio, do you still have a schematic of the temple?"

"I-I-I think so."

Poe turned to BB-8. "Buddy, how about we help our friend Dio here? Funnel anything you find into the ship's main computer, alright? I want to know everything we can before we get there."

He hadn't even considered that D-O might have useful information; he'd grown accustomed to seeing the tiny droid trail after BB-8 like a child. He'd become a member of their unconventional family; Poe couldn't forget that.

He returned to the cockpit shortly after, sitting in one of the rear seats. Stars still zoomed across the window, but Poe was busy at a console. There was next to no real information on Operation Python in the official records. He wasn't shocked by that, but it was disappointing. There was more information on Tushus; the fifth planet was only one of two that was inhabited in the system. No intelligent lifeforms that he could see; it was mostly filled with wildlife that had adapted to the frequent volcanic eruptions that dotted the planet. It wasn't a fiery hell like Mustafar, but the volcanos fueled the ecosystem. There were very few solid landmasses; it was almost entirely volcanic island chains.

"Reminds me of Ahch-To," Rey said quietly.

"Yeah?" Poe had never been there, but he'd heard Rey describe it numerous times.

"Let's hope there are no weird fish people caretakers."

"Fish people?"

"Don't ask. They did _not _like me."

"Not like you? I don't believe that."

"It's true. Me shooting one of the walls in the hut they gave me only made things worse."

"You shot the wall of a hut?"

"It was one of the first times Ben and I, ah, connected. In the Force. It scared me."

Poe forced himself to breathe deeply. He knew her bond with Kylo Ren wasn't something she could help; he was dead anyway, so it didn't matter. Poe never wanted her to feel like she needed to walk on eggshells around him. "Would probably scare me too."

Rey rested her hands on her shoulders and leaned down to brush her lips across his scruffy cheek. "It has once or twice, husband."

Her arms slipped around his neck; Poe leaned back against her. "What has?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten that we're connected in the Force."

"Now how could I forget something like that?" He ducked to press a kiss to her skin. "I can always feel you, just at the back of my head."

"You're sure it doesn't bother you? I never meant…"

"I know, sweetheart. If I minded being connected to you, I wouldn't've married you."

"You are kinda stuck with me now, flyboy."

He smiled; he couldn't imagine a better way for his life to be. "My only regret is that I didn't tell you how I felt sooner."

"And why's that?"

"Because I get to do this." He spun the chair around and tugged her into his lap. Rey couldn't stop the giggle that fell from her lips as Poe's brushed against hers. She kissed him back enthusiastically; it felt like it had been ages since she was in his arms though it had only been a few hours.

"This is why married people…shouldn't go on missions…together," Rey murmured between lazy kisses.

"That sounds like a made up rule," Poe replied. "Since I'm the commanding general, I'm against made up rules."

"You don't command _me,_ General," she reminded. "Jedi, remember?"

"Oh, I can think of a few situations where I've c_ommanded_ you, Master Jedi," he teased, his gaze heated. "Shall I remind you?"

"Hmm, I have a better idea."

"Oh really?"

"You did promise," she said, nodding toward the pilots' seats. "When we took off?"

"So I did." He set her on her feet reluctantly. "Let's make sure no one's going to sneak up on us, then you can play, wife." They were in the middle of a mission, one that would be dangerous once they got where they were going. That fact alone made him want to hold on to his wife, enjoy every moment they had together. He refused to believe that they wouldn't get to have many, many years together, but the memory of Kes after Shara's death was rarely far from his thoughts. Until this threat was taken care of, he planned on showing Rey how much he loved her.

"Looks like we're clear," she said, lowering the lights in the front part of the cabin. "The droids secure down in the hold?"

Poe nodded. "Yeah. I've got Beebee-Ate getting any information Dio has on the temple."

"He's been there?"

"Yep, poor guy." Poe ran his fingers through his curls; he didn't understand why people would mistreat their droids. His parents instilled in him a respect for all beings from the time he was young. BB-8 was the first droid he'd considered _his_, but they'd been partners in crime for years now.

Rey wrapped her arms around his waist. "I told you he'd like you eventually."

Poe chuckled. "In the middle of all this, we acquired a family of droids."

"Better than no family."

Poe kissed her brow, cradling her head as she hugged him tight. "Best family ever," he agreed.

Rey could have remained in his arms for hours, but she knew these hours with him were finite. All too soon, they'd going marching into another battle, side by side. She hoped it was the last one. So much had changed for her in the last year; she hardly had a chance to breathe. These hours with Poe were an oasis in the storm that raged around them.

"Do you trust me?"

Poe was surprised by her question; after everything they'd been through, he trusted her implicitly. "You know I do. What's going on in the head of yours, Sunshine?"

"I was wondering…I've been thinking about what Maz said about our Force bond."

Poe cut her off. "Whatever you want, I'm game," he promised her.

"Really?"

He cupped her cheek. "Remember that little talk we had about firsts? This is definitely a first. There's no one I'd rather have with me than you."

Rey leaned in and pressed a fervent kiss to his lips. "I love you."

"I know."

Rey hurried over to the corner where they'd left some of their things. They'd brought a couple of pallets for sleeping, just in case. Rey hadn't thought they'd use them—she was just as comfortable sleeping in the pilot's seat honestly. But she wasn't going to pass up this time with her husband.

She shook out the pallets and laid them side by side. She felt Poe watching her, a bemused smile on his face. "Stop that."

"You might have to make me, Jedi."

Rey put her hands on her hips and arched a brow at him. His teasing smirk and warm brown eyes made her belly flip flop. He was unfairly handsome, she decided. Moreover, she couldn't understand why he'd want someone like her, let alone want her forever. She looked him over. "You might regret that."

"I try not to have regrets, sweetheart."

Rey undid her belt and laid it aside. She also shucked her boots for good measure. "Lose the blaster and boots."

Poe grinned. "Yes, ma'am." Her eyes lit up when he said that; he could tell Rey liked being in control. So much of her life had been out of her control; if she wanted to explore being in control, he could give that to her. Rey knelt at one end of the pallet; Poe copied her, a brow arched curiously.

Rey licked her lips as she took him in. It meant a lot to her that he was trusting her like this. "Hold out your hands."

"Like this?" Poe held out his hands, palms toward her. Rey nodded approvingly. She scooted a bit closer until their knees were touching. Rey covered his palms with hers.

"Close your eyes." She waited until he obeyed her. Once he did, she followed suit. The last time they were like this, Rey had shown him her Force signature. That had been difficult, but less than it should have been. Their connection in the Force was even stronger now; she could see him clearly even without her sight. Poe was one of the brightest lights she knew; it was no wonder he inspired so much love and loyalty in so many people. Somehow, she knew that was Shara's light. She lived on in her son.

"Rey?"

"Just relax, okay? This won't hurt."

"It kinda tickles actually."

She smiled. "We haven't even started yet."

"You know I've never done…whatever this is, right?"

"Sure you have. You just didn't know what it was." She moved her hands a fraction, allowing their fingers to entwine. "Just do what I do. Deep steady breaths."

"Okay." Their breathing slowly fell in sync; Poe felt a bit stupid at first, but he did trust her. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be feeling, aside from Rey. He'd grown so accustomed to that small echo of her in his mind; he rarely noticed it anymore. Once Maz explained what was happening, it just felt natural. The way he felt about Rey was unlike the way he'd felt about anyone else. Perhaps that was because he'd finally discovered the Force's path for him. Beside his Jedi.

Rey gasped as she felt him, more strongly than she ever had. They'd connected like this before, but she had always initiated it. But this wasn't her. This was all Poe. "Hey there," she whispered.

Poe's fingers flinched in hers. "What is that?"

"That's you," she replied. "That's all you."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Why not?"

"I'm not a Jedi."

"But you do have the Force. Weren't you just telling me that teaching Finn and Jacen is still important, even if they don't take the Jedi path? Why would that be different for you, husband?"

He'd never considered that. He was still getting used to even _having_ a connection to the Force. It might not be like Rey's, but it was there. He felt it, especially like this. "What do I do?"

Rey squeezed his fingers gently. "Right now, just relax. Stay right here in this moment with me."

"That's never difficult, Sunshine." This was the only place he ever wanted to be.

Rey reached out for him in the Force, strengthening the connection between them. Their deep steady breaths were the only sounds in the cabin. They'd never connected quite like this for an extended period; Rey wasn't sure what would happen. She saw flashes of memories, mainly from Poe's childhood. Most were happy from when he was very young, before Shara passed.

"Is this okay?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah." Poe sucked in a shuddering breath as other memories surfaced, things he'd half forgotten. But nothing prepared him for what happened next. He got a glimpse of some of _Rey's_ memories. Little Rey screaming desperately for her parents, growing up on Jakku, doing whatever was necessary to survive. She'd told him some things about her past, but it was nothing like seeing it. "Rey, I…"

"It's okay."

It wasn't okay, but nothing could change the past. Surviving that hellish environment molded Rey into the woman before him. The one he loved more than anything in the galaxy. "Stay with me," she scolded softly.

"Sorry."

The mental connection faded; Poe missed it immediately. It was very intimate, but he knew he was safe with her. She'd never do to him what Kylo Ren had done. He opened his mouth to protest again, but Rey pressed a finger to his lips. "Let's try something else." He'd surprised her with his ability to initiate their connection; it had completely thrown off her plan. "How do you feel about being blindfolded?"

Poe blinked. "Blindfolded? You don't want to try and shoot one of those training remotes, do you? We might set this place on fire."

"No, nothing like that. I was thinking something a little more…fun."

"Now, I'm intrigued."

She smirked. "I thought you might." She reached for the bag that held their spare supplies. She extracted Poe's blue scarf. Twisting it around her hands, she rose on her knees. "Let me know if it's too tight."

Poe closed his eyes obediently and ducked forward a little so she could tie the material around his head. She'd folded it over several times; once it was secure, his vision was completely black. If it were anyone else, he'd have been nervous, but it was Rey. Her lips brushed his cheek, the edge of his jaw, and finally, his lips. He leaned into her, trying to chase her mouth before she could pull away. When the kiss finally broke, they were both panting.

"Stop trying to rush me," Rey scolded.

"What can I say? I love kissing you."

"You're not bad."

He huffed. "Not bad? You're kidding, right?"

"Am I?" As adorable as his pout was, she had other plans for him. She leaned closer, her lips hovering his. "Maybe you should prove it, flyboy."

Poe didn't hesitate; her warm breath brushing his lips told him exactly where she was. He closed the miniscule gap, kissing her firmly. Her lips were soft and sweet; Poe caught her face in his hands to keep her right where he wanted her. It built slowly, almost like they were trying to memorize how the other felt. Rey held onto his collar as they swayed, both thoroughly lost in the moment.

Even with the pallets, the floor was hard. Rey gave her husband a gentle push. Her lips never left his as they stretched out on the floor. Poe tugged her on top of him, his hands wandering. Rey nipped at his bottom lip as she started to work the fastenings on his shirt.

"I see what your plan is now, wife," he breathed, tugging the ties from her hair.

"Oh, you do?"

"Though I'm not sure why you wanted me blindfolded."

"So you can experience this in a whole new way," she whispered in his ear. "If that's okay?"

"You can do anything you want to me," he promised.

Rey pressed another kiss to his lips; this time he didn't let her get away. He bent his leg so it rested between hers; he could feel the heat there. Rey rolled her hips against him as she peeled his shirt from his body and tossed it aside. His skin was golden in the soft light, marred by the occasional scar. She knew them all by heart now, but that didn't stop her from caressing and kissing each one. No one had even known him the way Rey did; this is what he'd been searching for all those years.

"Hmm, I think I like undressing you," she commented, tugging a bit on the belt of his pants.

"I like it too." The lack of sight heightened his other senses; he felt every brush of her skin against his in a whole new way. It wasn't just physical; he couldn't describe it. Almost like she was touching his soul as well as his body. Poe groaned as she loosened his pants and dragged them down his legs, underwear and all, leaving him naked aside from the blindfold. "I can't see you, but I know you're still dressed," he complained. "That's not fair."

"Who said this was fair?"

"I can yank this off at any time, sweetheart."

"But you won't." He heard some metal creak and fabric rustling. Once he heard the distinctive flick of the clasp that held her breast band in place, he grinned. Rey smiled too, pleased he was so willing to enjoy the little game she'd concocted. She stretched out beside him and guided his hand to her hip. "Better?"

"Hmm, much." Poe rolled on his side and found her lips. He couldn't _see _her, but he still seemed to know exactly where she was. Like he felt her on a whole other level. He slid his hands over her curves; it was heady, relearning her body this way.

"Poe," she breathed, arching into his touch as he skimmed her breast.

"I think it's my turn now," he murmured. He ducked down and sucked her nipple between his lips; Rey cried out as heat flooded her core. She _felt_ him, flicking on the edge of her awareness, just as she had before. Only now he was using that connection to bring her toe-curling pleasure. Poe eased her on her back, his mouth hot on her skin. "Gods, I can't get enough of you," he growled against her skin.

"I know…ugh…how that feels," she panted, hooking her leg over his hip. She used the blindfold to drag his lips back to hers; she really wanted to run her fingers through his curls, but that meant removing the blindfold. She was enjoying this too much for that. He made her feel things she could never have imagined before that fateful trip to Yavin.

Poe groaned, his hand sliding down her back until he could cup her ass. "Don't be too loud," he murmured. "We wouldn't want to droids to get the wrong idea, hmmm?"

Before Rey could ask what he meant, Poe was sliding down into the space between her legs. The cool air of the cabin hit the swollen soaked flesh of her sex causing her skin to pebble all over. Her lover buried his face between her legs, his scruff rubbing deliciously against her skin. Rey bit her lip at the first swipe of his tongue, suppressing a loud moan. Her head thrashed as he pleasured her with that wicked tongue. A few whines and whimpers escaped her lips; she couldn't keep completely silent as he made her see stars. Somewhere along the way, she'd lost control of this, but she didn't care. She couldn't care about anything as he kept her hovering on the edge of bliss.

"Poe, kriff…oh…oh gods," she breathed, her hips rocking into his touch. Somehow him doing this with the blindfold on was only more intense; he didn't need to see her to bring her pleasure.

"After all this is over, I am taking you far, far away from all this," he promised, kissing her swollen clit. Two fingers slipped inside her, pumping slow and steady. Rey sucked down air as she hung so close to the edge. "Somewhere where it's just you and me, no droids, no comms, no worries. Would you like that, Master Jedi?"

Rey let out a sound, half a whimper, half a whine, as she tried to grind against him, chasing that elusive peak. "Poe…" she whined. "Please…"

"Somewhere that I can have you like this…whenever I want." He stroked her clit with his tongue, his fingers pumping a tiny bit faster. "Hot, wet, desperate for me."

"Oh gods," she gasped, fisting the pallets in both hands. He kept her so, so close to the edge, but he refused to let her fall. It was intoxicating, a buzz in her veins.

Teasing her like this was a double edged sword. Listening to her breathy moans and needy whines was glorious, but feeling her tight sheath grip his fingers made him hard as a rock and hungry to feel her around him, astride him, riding them both into oblivion. He pumped himself a few times to keep his own need in check, but it wouldn't last. He needed her too badly.

"Tell me what you want, mi amor," he whispered into her skin. "I can't see you; you'll have to tell me."

Rey knew perfectly well he didn't need to see her to feel her need. He felt it, just as much as she felt his. She gave him the only words she could comprehend. "You. Need. Inside. Now."

She felt the loss the moment he removed his fingers. She expected him to take her, plunge deeply inside her, but he didn't. Instead, Poe rolled onto his back. She blinked, confused, until he started pumping his cock. It was red, throbbing, and thick; she watched, realizing that she rarely saw him touch himself. It was more erotic than she'd ever imagined.

"You gonna leave a man hanging, sweetheart?"

She curled her hand around his, following the up and down motion. Poe groaned, his hips rocking off the pallet. He groaned louder as she licked the bead of fluid off the tip. "Quiet. The droids," she reminded him.

"Kinda hard to be quiet when you're touching me like that."

"You'll just have to try harder." She finally moved, settling astride his hips, facing away from him. Poe's hands instantly curved against her backside, holding her steady as she hovered over him. She sank down on him slowly, biting hard on her lip to keep from crying out. That first long side was always amazing; she loved the way they fit together. Rey braced her hands in front of her, her hips flush against his as she soaked in the sensation of being full.

"You feel so good," Poe breathed. He couldn't see her, but he was drowning in her. His heart thudded in his chest, overwhelmed by not only how much he loved her, but her love for him. He felt it, almost like he could reach out and touch it. He ran his hands over her back as she rode him steadily, needing to feel as much of her as he could.

"So good," she agreed. She spotted the stars whizzing by out the window and she shivered. It was impossible not to remember her fantasy of her in a similar position, enjoying her husband's attentions in the cockpit of the Falcon. One day soon, she promised herself.

"Come 'ere," Poe pleaded softly. "Wanna hold you."

Reluctantly, she did as he asked. Rey stretched out beside him; Poe hitched her left leg over his hip. Their lips met in another hungry kiss as he searched for just the right angle. Rey let out a hoarse gasp as he pushed inside her again. She clung to his shoulders as he thrust hard and deep inside her, giving her what she needed so badly. Their lips met in another wet kiss; the only other sound was skin smacking together.

Suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore; she needed to see his eyes. She tugged off the blindfold, revealing those brown eyes she loved so much. "Hey there," he said, blinking as he adjusted to the light.

She drew him in for a kiss. "Hey."

He hitched her leg higher, changing the angle slightly. Rey whimpered as he sank even deeper inside her. "Hey, stay with me," he whispered. "Stay with me, sweetheart."

They rolled again until he was on top of her. Poe took both of her hands and pinned them over her head, forcing her to look him in the eye as they moved together. Everything else fell away; it was just them. One in mind, body and spirit. Poe felt her fluttering around him, just on the edge, then she let go. She opened her mouth to cry out, but he silenced her with a kiss. He rode her through her intense high, every ripple of pleasure echoing through him. He quickly followed with a soft moan of her name, his hips stilling as he filled her.

Rey held him close as they both panted for air. Blood still rushed in her ears as she shivered with aftershocks. She brushed her fingers through his curls, still craving that connection with him. "You okay?"

He nodded against her shoulder. "Am I crushing you?"

"Maybe a little."

Poe grunted and rolled, taking her with him. "Better?"

She snuggled into his chest. "Hmm, much."

Poe kissed the crown of her head. "Love you, Rey."

"Love you too." She stayed inside the circle of his arms as long as she could. "I should go…"

"Yeah, get cleaned up. I'll be here." Rey stood, some of the blue and red switched glowed against her pale skin. She grabbed Poe's shirt and shrugged into it, buttoning just enough buttons to be decent. Then she padded off to the tiny fresher the ship had. Poe, meanwhile, tugged on his boxer briefs and went to check their telemetry and course. Everything seemed fine, which was good. They'd talked about sleeping in shifts, but they weren't _that_ far from the controls if anything happened. They'd get proximity alarms if anyone happened by.

Instead, he tried to remake the pallets into something that resembled a bed. He used a couple of their bags for pillows; he found an actual blanket in one of the cabinets. It was almost ready when Rey returned. "What's this?"

"I knew we said we'd sleep in shifts but…" He scratched her back of his neck. "I, uh, thought this would be better."

She gave him that sweet smile she reserved just for him. "Definitely better." She found her underwear in the piles of discarded clothes and set an alert to wake them in a few hours. Poe had their makeshift bed ready by the time she returned. "You know, I doubt the First Order designed this shuttle for this sort of thing."

Poe chuckled. "The galaxy might have been a more peaceful place if they had. A bunch of uptight jerks if you ask me."

The pallets didn't cushion the floor that much, but Rey had slept in worse places. She'd never had a human pillow with her either. As she settled her head on his chest, the gentle thrum of his heart echoed in her ear. "Poe?"

She almost asked him if he was okay—their bond in the Force was unique and still a little frightening—but she knew if he wasn't, he would say so. "Hmmm?" He combed his fingers through her hair absently.

"Nevermind. Go to sleep."

"You first."

"Bossy."

"Me? I'm bossy, Master Jedi?"

She leaned up and brushed her lips to his. "Why do you think I like the uniform so much?" she whispered, smiling mischievously.

Poe groaned. "Are you trying to kill me, wife?"

"Now why would I do that? I like you exactly where you are, husband." She giggled as he rolled them slightly, her laugh cut off by his lips on hers. He kissed her breathless, entwining their bodies together. They fell asleep like that, wrapped up together and slightly tangled in the blanket.

* * *

"_Rey? Rey!"_

"_I'm here!" Rey looked around, frantic. She could hear Poe, but she couldn't see him. She knew he had to be close, certainly within shouting distance. "Poe! I'm right here!"_

_She just wished she knew where here was._

_The trees around her were tall, but barren. No leaves as far as she could see. A path stretched out ahead of her; she decided to follow it. It seemed to go on forever. Over and over, she heard her husband calling for her, sounding more and more desperate. She reached for their connection in the Force, hoping it would lead her to him. She breathed deeply, trying not to panic. She couldn't help Poe if she panicked. _

_The landscape changed as she moved; dead trees gave way to brown plains rimmed with floating mountains. She heard echoes of other voices; she thought she knew them, but she couldn't recall who they were. Rey forced herself to shut everything else out; she needed to find Poe. There was something about this place she didn't like. She had a bad feeling. Every time he called for her, her heart clenched. He sounded lost and confused; she felt his fear. "I'm coming, Poe. Just hang on."_

_A building started to rise on the edge of the horizon. Rey broke into a run; Poe was there. She knew it. _

_As she got closer, she realized it was ancient. It was made of stone with intricate symbolism etched into the curved surface. It looked almost like…an arena? Rey kept her hand hovering over her saber hilt as she approached. "Poe?"_

_The ground had three circles etched into it. Two were large; the center one was smaller. She spotted Poe crouched down in one of the large circles, his arms bound behind him. When he spotted her, his eyes flew wide with panic. "Rey, it's a trap! Get out of here!"_

"_Not without you!" She tried to get to him, but some kind of force field flared around him; Rey bounced off it and landed hard on her ass. She groaned, dazed. She tried to stand, but her head spun. She could feel the power under her fingertips, the power inherent in this place. It was dead now, but it didn't have to be. There was still a spark._

_She didn't know how she knew, but that spark was the key to bringing this place back to life._

"_You feel it too, don't you?"_

_Startled out of her wits, Rey jumped up, her hand already on her saber. It ignited in her hand, the yellow beam cutting through the dark. "Who are you? Show yourself!"_

_Once again, the voice sounded far away. "Is this what the Jedi have become? Emotional and rash?"_

_Rey gripped her saber, swinging it in what she thought was the location of the voice. Instead, all she hit was air. "There are no more Jedi. There's just me."_

"_You carry the weapon of a Jedi," the voice replied. "What else does that make you?"_

"_I'm not in the mood for games! I don't know what you did to Poe, but you're going to return him to me. Now."_

"_I've taken nothing from you, Jedi."_

_Rey whirled around, but Poe was gone. There was no force field, no light, no Poe. "But, but…I saw him. He was right here. He warned me…" Rey raised her saber again, her eyes narrowed. "He said this was a trap."_

_In the distance, thunder cracked. Rey saw more sparks of lightening flicker across the low clouds. "We don't have much time."_

"_Time for what?"_

"_For you, Rey Skywalker, to make a choice."_

_Rey spun around, saber swinging in a high arc. Her blade was stopped by two white blades, one longer than the other. Both sabers were held by a Togruta woman more than twice her age. She didn't wear the robes of a Jedi, but somehow, Rey knew her. Eyes wide with surprise, she lowered her weapon. "I know you."_

"_You know of me. We've never actually met."_

_But Rey knew the voices of every Jedi that spoke to her on Exegol. She would never forget any of them. "Ahsoka Tano."_

_Ahsoka ducked her head in acknowledgement. "Sorry about surprising you. I had to be sure it was you."_

"_Sure it was me? What's going on? Where's Poe?"_

"_Surely, you've realized this is dream."_

"_A dream?"_

_Ahsoka arched a brow at her. "None of this is real. I believe the Force is directing us to the same place."_

"_What place?"_

"_A place from my past. A place I half hoped was a dream."_

"_That doesn't tell me anything."_

_Ahsoka gestured all around her. "This is Mortis. Or, rather, what's left of it."_

"_Mortis?" A chill went down her spine. "Mortis is a myth!"_

"_I assure you, it's not."_

"_But the Jedi texts…" She'd read the Mortis myth in one of the oldest scrolls she'd retrieved from Ahch-To. "Mortis can't be real."_

"_During the Clone War, we found it. Or it found us. My master was never sure. But Anakin, Obi-Wan and I all remember it. What happened to us on Mortis couldn't be forgotten."_

"_If Mortis is real, why does it look like this?" The Mortis she'd read about was believed to be a well-spring of the Force. A convergence, unique in the galaxy. The place of balance and peace. It was sought by Jedi for many millennia, but eventually the search was abandoned as nothing more than a myth._

"_Because of us," Ahsoka said sadly. "There are parts I don't remember well, but Mortis is no paradise. It never was. Powerful forces of light and dark used to dwell here."_

"_I thought Mortis was all about balance."_

"_It is. That was why we were brought here. A being called the Father believed Anakin to be the Chosen One."_

"_Anakin was the Chosen One," Rey said. She'd heard this part from Leia, who'd heard it from Luke. "To quote _my_ master,_ _it just took him a little longer to get there."_

_Ahsoka smiled. "That does sound like Leia."_

"_You knew her?"_

_Ahsoka nodded. "Not well, but yes."_

"_You know she's Anakin's daughter."_

"_So many things about her fell into place once I discovered that. She was a lot like him."_

"_Why was the Father interested in Anakin being the Chosen One?"_

"_Because he was dying. His daughter was the embodiment of the Light. His son was the Darkness. The constant battle between them sapped his strength. He believed Anakin could take his place."_

"_But he didn't." She knew the tragic and dark tale of Anakin Skywalker well. In the end, Anakin turned back to the light and saved his son, much like Ben had done for her. _

"_No, but what happened here on Mortis changed all of us. What happened here rippled throughout the galaxy. Balance disappeared for many years, suffused in darkness. Even after the Rebel victory, the Sith weren't destroyed. You know that."_

"_But they are now. I ended it."_

"_And what is to be in their place? I believe we'll find the answer on Mortis."_

"_But Mortis is gone, you said it yourself."_

"_But you felt that spark. There is hope here, Rey. A light. You are the last Jedi. This task is yours."_

"_I've already got plenty to keep me busy." More lightning, more thunder, the clouds appeared closer than ever. If this was a dream, then she had control. She had a job and a life to get back to. She didn't have time to chase myths. "Goodbye, Ahsoka."_

Rey's eyes snapped open; she blinked, trying to get her bearings. That dream had felt so real. Ahsoka? Mortis? Some grand task? Rey groaned, her head falling onto the makeshift pillow Poe made her. She didn't have the time or energy for more riddles. But there was no teacher, no manual to help her navigate strange Force dreams and mysteries. Poe rolled closer to her, drawing her against his chest. "It's not time to get up yet."

"How do you know?"

"Just do." He buried his nose in her hair; Rey tried to relax. For days, dreams had haunted her sleep; she was heartily tired of it. She was even more tired of feeling like a pawn. She was a Jedi, but she took on that mantle on her terms. The old ways were gone. She wanted to spend time with her husband. She wanted to study so she could open a training temple. She wanted to help the others like her, so that no one felt the way she had. Lost and confused and wondering about their place in the galaxy.

Rey had finally figured out where she was supposed to be. She wasn't giving that up for anything.

"Another bad dream?" Poe asked, yawning.

"Not bad exactly, just…cryptic."

"Sounds like fun."

"It wasn't." As much as she wanted to stay with him, she knew she wasn't going to get anymore sleep. "I think I'm gonna go sit up front."

Poe huffed in complaint. "Or you could stay here with your husband."

She brushed a kiss to his brow. "I'll only disturb you. You rest."

Poe opened his eyes. "And let you brood alone? No way."

"I don't brood."

He searched her face in the low light of the cabin. "Something was different about this one."

"How did you know?"

"You. You feel…different. I can't put my finger on it."

She laced her fingers with his. "I'm just glad you're here."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Her first instinct was to say no, but Poe had been in her dream. He'd been trapped, warning her that it was a trap. Was he somehow a part of whatever plan the Force had for her? She couldn't see how he couldn't be. They were Force bound, mated. She was the first Jedi to find her mate in thousands of years. Poe was important, not just to her. Maz said the Force helped Poe stay alive; it was still helping him stay alive. The galaxy needed him, just as much as she did.

"Um, maybe we should get dressed before we talk."

"Okay." Poe was a little worried about her. She didn't seem rattled by the dream, more like…resigned? He didn't know what was giving her these dreams, but he was frustrated for her. She gave so much; he thought she was entitled to a little peace. He desperately wanted to provide that for her, a sanctuary away from galaxy spinning around them. What more could the Force possibly ask of her?

Once they were dressed, they moved back into the main part of the cockpit. Rey took her seat on the left, distracting herself with some of the dials and switches. Poe kept quiet; focusing on flying calmed his nerves too. He knew she'd talk when she was ready.

"Have you ever heard of Mortis?" Rey asked suddenly.

"Mortis? Nope."

"It's an old legend. Or, according to my dreams lately, not so much of a legend." She realized that now. She thought about everything she could remember from her dreams lately. They _all_ lead back to Mortis. She could still see Anakin and Obi-Wan as Ahsoka must have known them. It hadn't made sense before, but it did now.

"It's a Force thing?"

"It's a convergence in the Force." She stared out at the stars, searching for the right words. She wasn't really good with words, so she described her dreams as best she could. And he listened. Poe reached over and twined his fingers with hers, but otherwise, he didn't interrupt. He just let her talk. She loved him so much for that. He wasn't asking anything of her that she wasn't willing to give. If the Force truly had brought them together, this was why. She needed him in her life. If she was going to succeed in restoring the Jedi, then she needed him beside her. She needed that anchor as everything swirled around them.

"Wait, so you're saying that Ahsoka, that Jedi that was searching for Ezra, was in your dream?"

"She's not a Jedi anymore."

"She has lightsabers, right? That's enough for me."

Rey actually laughed. "I didn't know you were so easily impressed."

"I'm not. But I've seen you do your Jedi thing, Sunshine. It's something else."

She smiled. "Flatterer."

He grinned. "There's that smile. Knew I'd get one."

Rey squeezed his hand. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For putting up with all this. I know it's not easy."

"I did have some idea of what I was signing on for when I married you."

"You were in my dream too, you know. Well, sort of."

Poe looked surprised. "Me?"

"I think maybe…you're a part of this somehow? You've been in some of the others too."

Poe looked skeptical. "I don't know about that, Rey."

"Why would that be so surprising? And don't say it's because you're not a Jedi, because we both know better."

Poe sighed. She did have a point. He just couldn't fathom what a guy like him brought to all this. Light and dark, Cosmic Force, Living Force, it all sounded so grand and important. Epic, even. Rey was a part of a long tradition that he couldn't even imagine until he met her. Knowing the Force existed and seeing it in action were entirely different things. Rey was the most powerful person he knew. Yet, here she was, telling him _he _had a part to play. "Well, if we need something blown up, I'm your guy."

Rey stood up and edged over to his seat, settling in his lap. "You always do that."

"What?"

"Make a joke when we talk about you and the Force."

Her fingers combed through the curls at the nape of his neck; Poe felt himself relax. He shrugged. "It still feels a bit surreal," he said honestly. "I know what I've seen. What I've felt." He returned her soft smile. "Rey, when I had that vision, back on Coruscant, I didn't know what to think. I see the things you do and that's…not me. I'm a pilot, a soldier. The idea of meditating for hours makes my skin crawl. Yet, part of me wishes I were more like you, so that you don't have to shoulder this burden alone."

"But I'm not alone," she reminded him. "And I'm not talking about Ezra or Jacen. I'm talking about _you._ I'd be way more frightened about doing everything wrong if I didn't have you. I'm not expecting you to be a Jedi, Poe. If you'd never had that vision, I'd still love you. I loved you before that. Because of who you are in here." She pointed at his chest. "We're partners; we belong together."

She curled against his chest, tucking her head under his chin. He could just make out their reflection in the windscreen against the stars zooming by. Force, he loved her. He loved her so much his chest hurt. Rey was skeptical about this Mortis thing, but if her path did indeed lead there, he knew he would be by her side. He'd follow her anywhere. Perhaps that was his place in all this.

But they could only deal with one problem at a time. The chrono told him they'd be at the rendezvous in a few hours. This quiet time in a stolen shuttle was finite. Poe rubbed her lower back soothingly until he felt her breathing even out and her body relaxed. He held her against him, content for her to get some rest. She would need it.


End file.
